Temple Grounds
by Kemino Sury
Summary: The gang and Maru are finally within sight of the Dragon clan's land. But as an unexspected 'person' shows, it seems that it may get more difficult after all.. Thank you to all reviewers But it may be darkest before dawn...
1. Into to the guardian

Disclaimer: I do not own any yyh characters or ideas.. Nor do i own any songs that appear in here that somebody else owns. Okay?  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
by: Kemino Sury  
  
"blah"-speech /blah/-lyrics //blah//-thoughts :blah:-telepathy  
  
"We all have our single place in this time.  
It can be anywhere that we feel a strong connection to.  
But no matter what the reason.. We have that place.."  
My eyes landed on the surface of the water... And sighed as those words echoed in my mind.  
  
I was what some would call short.. With red-gold eyes that literally gave the water a run for it's money when it came to reflecting the moon's light. My hair was a dark brown, almost black in the dim light. It was tied back in a ponytail by a black ribbon that wove through my hair as it came to my shoulder blades. My bangs however were a crimson red and gave the gold in my eyes a color stand out. My eyes seemed to grow harder...  
I was wearing a black happi coat that came to my mid thigh... Okay maybe a bit higher.. It was tied with a black sash. I had two sheaths that held small silver daggers, one on my left and one on my right hip. Another sheath was across my back with a leather strap that went from the top of the sheath, down my left shoulder, across my chesy and middle, and finally connected again with sheath. The sword's handle was dark in color.. Nearly black.   
My feet had thin, black, leather sandals with a small heel on them.   
Also i wore a black choaker with a golden looking stone in the center.. I had on a 'glove' on my right hand.. It was a dark red in color.. It went around my wrist, then cut off and met at my middle finger with a ring of the tough material. In the center of the glove, on the top of my hand, was a black stone.. Only around the size of a quarter or coin.   
  
My reflection glared back at me.. It was odd.. What had that person called me eariler today?... Was it attractive? Or something close to it. I didn't really know nor did I care. Looking nice didn't matter to the likes of me.. Or so I thought..   
  
I was sitting on a low branch of tree that came out over a still pool of water... A hot spring.... My eyes looked around the quiet forest.. Nothing was there... Only thick trees with the occasional bush or smaller shrub.. The forest floor was covered by a soft, thick layer of moss and short grass.. The tree was what humans called a weeping willow... I think.   
  
I turned my mind to the task at hand. I was getting away from here. This place had confined me a little too long to be precise. I was here.. Had been here for as long as i had known life.. And the whole time I was kept here for one purpose and one purpose only. To kill all that entered this forest. In the 13 years I had been able to fight I had murdered for the soul purpose of protecting the secrets that lay hidden in the deepest places... There were caves that were graves and held untold tresure... And a temple that was said to house the very source of power that gods drew upon... Of course I had always been told not to see nor touch these treasures... And was never to do such even now. ut of course a rule that is supposed to last for all time.. Is often broken. I was to kill any who came to close... So the land i was to watch over ended exactly 100 miles from the temple.. Every night and day I traveled a different path.. There were 20 in all so any intruders were bound to cross my path three times before they met with the temple.   
  
But i was being held to this against my will.. True I was an outcast from what ever clan or family i had come from.. And had been given to the temple keeper as an 'offering'. The keeper who had a nose for new opportunities began training me as soon as I could walk... My first memories were of her teaching me all the things I had to learn.. And a little of what the temple walls held. I had learned several languages.. And enough fighting skills to take out anyone stronger then me with traps, poisons, weapons, and other things.. Though i went against my teachings and often went into a fight with only my blades and nothing more.. Though nothing less for sure. I had learned to move quickly and with no wasted energy with my attacks.. I even slept with all of my senses alert and literally awake to everything in my forest.  
  
But that was going to end if i could only find a way to brake the one thing that held me here... Those blasted talisman cards that protected the boundaries from my wrath and movements..  
  
"What am I going to do? It will take drastic measures to get rid of those.. And nothing I touch or create can harm them.. So what are my options besides getting help from outside?" I thought over this and my options were far and few between.. I had no choice but to control someone over the boundaries.. But I would need someone I had some sort of connection with..   
  
"Guardian, it's time you began your potrols. There are a few troublemakers down on the southern borders. You had better take care of them." Yellow eyes found mine as I looked to my left at the shore. There was a small bent figure.. One wrinkled and weather worn hand held a staff with strips of cloth along the top.. She was shorter then me, with gray hair with strands of silver running through it as it came to the bun that held it.. Her eyes were an old hawkish yellow.. She wore priestess clothes but was far from it.. Her face was wrinkled and leathery.. A long scar running down the right side of it..   
She moved with short rapid steps as she wadled closer to the tree's base. "Something bothering you guardian?"  
  
I rolled my fierce eyes in answer, closing off my mind. She was as telepathic as i was and nerely as good at reading others actions. I had learned the art of avoiding her probings as I grew.. And now i could give her enough info to leave me alone.. Merely that something was bothering me and not an inch further into the truth.   
  
"My name is Maru. Not guardian." I returned with a harsh tone. My crossed legs drawing up underneath me as i got ready to vanish if the enrgies i sensed grew closer.. They had stopped just on the inside of the forest.. They were still so more then likely the group was stopping for the night.. Easy prey for me.   
  
"Your name doesn't matter. Your duty to guard these grounds DO." She replied.. Then narrowed her eyes as I left..  
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3rd pov  
  
Maru made short work of getting there... Her movements were silent and hardly anything short of untracable.. But her eyes were still shining strangely..   
  
She stopped on a branch and took note of the small group.. Four in all... Two humans.. Maybe humans.. They had strong spirits for such.. And two demons with out a doubt. All of them higher then your normal trespasser...   
::You had better be careful guardian.::  
  
::It's MARU. Got that old hag.::  
  
My thoughts snapped at her with out any thought as to how harsh or angery it sounded.. Nor did i care with all honesty. But I continued watching them.... The fire's light was dying.. But three of them were on the ground and the last in a tree nearby.. I would have my hands full....  
  
Then i sensed it...   
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	2. Return Guardian

Disclaimer: i do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original yu yu hakusho, i do not own any songs that appear here either. However i do lay claim to all insert characters. ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
chapter 2:Guardian Return  
  
::telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts//   
There was something odd about the presense I sensed.. As if there was something.. different about it.. It wasn't coming from any of the four near me.. No more to the west.. I didn't even try to guess at what it was.. Just went after it.. What ever it was for the moment it was more of a threat...```````````````  
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There was another sickening thud as I landed on the ground.. Leaving a imprint of my body again... I had yet to even see what it was that was there... All I could tell was that it was two legged, strong, and LOVED slow deaths for sure. I had been getting knocked around an area of the forest for the past hour.. And with wounds to prove such.  
  
I got up shakily.. Drawing my sword as a last resort.. My daggers lay scattered somewhere from one of my collisions with the ground.. Then I felt it.. The form was right in front of me and moving foreword with only it's red eyes glowing.. No pupils or anything.. Just those glowing red orbs... I acted on an impulse and felt my sword shake as I struck out.. Sparks flew for one secound and i saw it.. The face had a long snout, fangs, black fur.. A wolf... And A large one at that.. My blade shuddered from the impact as I strugled to pull back.. I had met steel claws with the sword and somehow they were locked together... I looked around for any way to get the fight in my own hands.. There... A small pool of water... Trees weren't hanging over the pool so maybe moonlight would give me some kind of help... I started trying to move toward the light but the wolf was trying its best to bite me and what-ever else it could do.. It's eyes were about as angry looking as mine though with MAJOR differences...  
  
Hot breath met my face as I tried to bring the sword up.. Cutting my left hand that was holding one end of the blade... Those red eyes were inches from my face.. The steel claws pulsing against me as I fnally got to the moolight.. And I wanted to scream..   
  
The red eyes were floating almost in a dark form... There was black fur that covered the figure.. But there were traces of human to it.... The face had features of a wolf but yet.. Still traces of human.. Legs of a wolf were drawn longer and more bendable... The upper body was that same fur colored nightmarish cross... The front hands/paws were fitted with steel claws that had left scratches along the edges... But the was still that fact that that face was inches away and everything in me was fighting not to run...  
  
"If it's not the half-breed." The voice alone made me feel like everything in me was made of lead.   
  
But the words sunk in to the point where I listened to them.. "Half-breed?" I asked, suddely getting a better grip and flipping the beast over me and into the water... My feet touched the edges as I spun around, my eyes watching for any opening.. But it never came....   
  
Those claws flashed as I brought my sword up to meet them.. There was a loud 'clang' that rang through the forest... I was thrown back.. One of the paws/hands was on my sword at the hilt.. Drawing blood from my wrist were it had connected with... The other was reaching for my throat... I backed into a tree... That face again at my own and those eyes were still filled with that glowing anger...   
  
"Half-BREED!" Another thrust of the hand/paw... This time it nearly cut into my head but missed and bore into the tree trunk.. My hands dripped red from the blade, the claw marks and what ever else had happened... I was panting and my feet were hardly listening to my commands..   
  
"Who are you and why are you here?!" I yelled at the form as I tried my best to grasp the attention of the keeper... No good she was just too far away... I felt that fur now against my hand.. And everything in me wanted to run.. AS far and as fast as I could.. THis thing was hardly something I could handle..   
  
"I am in place and space,   
in the begining of every end,   
And the end of all time, space, and place.."  
  
My mind grasped at the riddle.. Answers.... //ANSWER IT MARU! GOD ANSWER IT!//   
My grip slipped as my knees began to crumble.. I gave one last shove to the left.. knocking him off balance.. But not enough.. I felt those claws connect with my shoulder... I screamed.. THere was nothing else left to do.. My right shoulder was ripped open.. My sword was still in my hand.. I turned and looked on at that wolf/human... I knew fear was in my eyes.. And I had had enough.. I had killed enough.. Fought enough.. If I was going down.. THis darn creature was coming with me.. I ran at him.. And thrust my sword right through him... The force knocked him back and the blade went through him.. Sank into the tree and held him there.. I felt everything go hazy.. THen backed away from the gore.. And fell.. "E... That's the answer... E...." Then heat washed over me and I settled into a thick darkness.  
  
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3rd pov  
  
Maru realized one thing and one thing only.. To say she was in pain was the biggest understatement she had ever heard..   
  
"She's waking up.."  
  
Maru's ears heard sounds.. Voices.. Words.. Sentences... She fought to open her eyes.. Finally.. Light.. Morning.. Her thoughts came slow and for the first few seconds as her eyes adjusted to everything..   
  
"You okay?" Maru's eyes fell on someone.. She sat up, much to her shock.. The four.. THese were the ones she was supposed to kill last night.. (I don't want to have to go through EVERY discription for four peeps we've all seen or read about... So I'll skip it for now 'kay?)  
  
"What... Where am I?" Her voice was rough but recognizable to her ears..   
  
"Close to where we found you.. You sure got that guy good... Not much left.." Kuwabara said, literally turning green..  
  
Maru's eyes went over the forest with quick eyes to see exactly where she was.. Southern section.. 87 miles from the temple.. She had a bandaged right shoulder along with hands.. Hands... "My sword.. Did you get it?" Her voice suddenly climbed higher then she had wanted with worry... Her head throbbed with something reaching out to it.. There was something there trying to speak.. But what?   
  
"Huh?"   
  
Then Maru knew what it was she sensed.. The keeper.. She was coming..   
  
::Guardian, GET BACK HERE! AN ATTACK!!::  
  
Those words were all that were needed.... It had come.  
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REVIEW PUWEEEZE!!!!! 


	3. Pile of Ash

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Hakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters, ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 3:Fire Wolf  
  
: Telepathy: "speech" //thoughts//  
  
"Where'd she go?!" Yusuke blinked in confusion at the now empty spot on the ground... Maru had vanished.. In her place were a few gold colored sparks and nothing else.. The 'sparks' floated then settled on the grass and vanished from sight. ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``  
  
Maru's heart thudded in her ears but she continued along the path. The trees swayed in the strong gusts of wind.. And one scent was in the air right now. It seemed to fill Maru with a faint fear.. She shuddered inwardly as smoke again found its way to her.. Her sandals slapped the hard earthen path and she pushed passed a few bushes.. But red-gold eyes didn't see the path. She knew every inch of the forest but flashes of memories were in her eyes..  
  
'You are to protect this place.'  
  
//STOP IT. // Maru mentally yelled at herself as she turned right... Everything was a jumble of words in her head and nothing fit.. Smoke meant fire, fire meant others, others meant a 'robbery', that meant she'd failed.  
  
Failed what? What had she given in any form of contract to this place? Her loyalty? Her life for all these years? No.. Nothing..  
  
:Keeper?! Suna?!::  
  
Telepathy offered nothing but a heavy silence.. The wind blew harder.. Bringing ash and smoke to her lungs and that urged her foreword.. The temple was burning.. It rang in her head along with her fast heart beat and sharp breaths that drew in the smoke..  
Then she emerged from the edge of the forest at the foot of a hill.. The temple was now a pillar of smoke and flames.. The wind pushed it toward her.. Then her eyes locked on the single thing that remained untouched.. The stone steps that lead to the temple.. Blazing eyes landed on a black form on those steps..  
"GET AWAY FROM THERE!!" A familiar 'clang' came to her ears as her daggers clashed to steel claws.. Sparks flew and this time the wolf-like form was in full view..  
"You're too late little half-breed." The jaws snarled at her Maru tried to sort out her thoughts.. The smoke flowed through and around her like a black snake and her eyes watered and stung.. But Kami only knew how hard she continued pushing the sneering form toward those flames..  
The stone steps had turned into an oven.. The flames had heated the stone and it burned through her sandals.. Everything burned at her.. And raging red eyes met her own as the blades and claws pulsed against each other....  
  
/And I wanna believe you when you say it will be okay. Ya I try to believe you.. But I don't /  
  
"What do you want?!" Maru's voice choked with-in her but made itself known to the wolf ears on the gray colored head.. The eyes narrowed cruelly but the jaw opened and closed.. "You haven't any idea what had happened guardian. Not a blasted clue, Maru." The fangs glistened and Maru felt her insides freeze then turn into liquid fire.  
"What did you do?!" Her right hand lost grip on the cold dagger as it spun downward.. Her left then lost feeling... Those claws flashed red as Maru seemed to loose her balance.. Pain shot through her whole being but the searing hot stone brought her back to reality with plently of fight left in her.. Fists swung toward the wolf as the fire increased suddenly around her.. But it didn't burn.. Nothing burned but the fact that those red eyes were still locked to hers.. "THIS IS FOR SUNA YOU JERK!!"  
WHAM. CRACK. SLAM!! Maru felt a wave of weakness settle itself into her as the headless body was engulfed in the flames.. She fell to the heated stone and laid there.. Everything was red and black around her.. Hot and burning.. Her eyes burned and her throat felt as if she had swallowed sand..  
  
/When you say that it's gonna be it always turns out to be a different way. /  
  
//Is this what happened to the Keeper? I'm not burning.. Everything is just hot.. But nothing's hurting.. // Her thoughts slowed to a gentle silence as darkness and roaring filled her ears. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````  
  
"Guardian.. Hey wake up!" Maru heard a far off voice.. No there was more.. Everything seemed to slur together as she slowly stopped floating.. She suddenly became aware of a bitter liquid being put to her mouth.. She swallowed and struggled harder to get up.. Her limbs didn't register the thought at all..  
But her eyes opened into tiny slits.. Dim light landed on her red-gold orbs as she tried to grasp what she saw.. It was the four from earlier.. //They followed me? How? Why?... What happened..?// Then the picture of the flaming temple flashed in her head and she bolted up to a sitting position with wide, scared eyes.  
"That got her up." Kuwabara nodded toward Maru.. Her mind didn't seem to grasp what was going on and her senses were dull and far from useful. "Where am I?" She choked out with a voice reminding her of gravel.. She winced from the sound and tried to run a hand over her face.. But her hands were bandaged again.. "You're in the Anago forest, right where you belong." Maru's hearing caught the voice and looked at her lap.. A small cat-like creature sat there. It was larger then a normal house cat and a purple color.. It's eyes a deep black color. Its underbelly and two fur covered wings were a light purple while her claws, the tip of her tail, and nose were a dark purple.  
"What happened?" Maru mumbled rubbing her eyes to clear away the burning..  
"You tell us." Yusuke answered looking at her from across the fire.. He looked like he had just been pulled behind a car for a few miles.. Though the hike he'd probably gone through had been enough for that..  
"Yeah you were in the middle of a ash pile." Kuwabara put in expertly....  
Maru coughed and took the taste in her mouth into account, but she answered. "The temple was destroyed... I remember a wolf like creature was there.. But nothing else.." Maru reflected with her red-gold eyes open and revealing tired eyes...  
  
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	4. Bakayara

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
chapter 4: Barrier  
  
::telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
"The temple?! You mean to tell me you let the whole place burn to the ground?!" The cat looked like the end of world had happened and she hadn't been told until now.. Her wings fluttered as she leveled off to the hieght of Maru's head. "Not my fault! The blasted Keeper sent me to kill these guys! I can't know what's going on nearly 90 miles away!!" Maru yelled right back.. Her eyes caught the firelight and the gem on her glove glowed...  
"You're the guardian! Do you have any idea what were in those vaults! Do you Maru?!"  
"Alright already!" Yusuke yelled at the two argueing females.. Maru was still glowing with an eerie red color while the cat creature was glaring daggers at the girl..  
"She started it." They both spat at the same time. Maru tried to get up and push the fur ball away but only managed to get a new set of pain jolts from her shoulder and just about every where else..  
"What's all of this about a temple?" Kuwabara managed to edge in a sentence in between the insult drops going on between the two.  
Maru looked like she'd just swallowed ice.. Her eyes widened and she just stared blankly at the four.. "You.. You don't even know what the Anago Temple is?! Why in the world are you even in the forest then?!" She looked like she was about to burst into a million sparks from the fact.  
Yusuke sweatdropped. Maru seemed like the type to loose her temper no matter what the circumstance.. And there was that strange energy signiture.. It was enough to make him wonder if Ko-Enma even had a file on her. "We were tracking after a small group of thieves and they came here."  
  
Maru and the cat froze and gawked at the smae time with the same look on their faces.. "You were following..." Maru ran the words through her mind again.. Her eyes reflected that she was thinking over them and trying to 'fit' what had happened together.. And with a blink she got an answer. "That means the temple being distroyed is my fault after all... If I had stayed instead of going after a random group.. Then Suna could have been able to..." She paused and flopped backwards with her hands on her eyes. "This is so freakin' stupid! I swear! 15 blasted years in this place and I just sealed myself is this darn forest even longer!!" Maru was yelling at herself more harshly in her head and failed to even notice the looks passing from everyone else..  
The cat sighed and took the time to explain a few things.. Mostly over the temple while Maru sat up and looked around, still trying to get everything in somewhat basic order. However one question caught her attention. "Why is Maru the only guardian?" Red-gold eyes blinked.. But that was probably the only question even Maru didn't have the answer to.. Why was she all alone? The Keeper hadn't said anything about her past or anything.. Just that she had been placed here.. But why? When? And by whom? ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````  
"HE WHAT?!" Maru yelped, red-gold orbs flaming and pulsing... Yusuke winced, if there was one thing he had learned all those times with Kieko, it was that hell hath no fury like an angry girl or woman.. Though Maru seemed to fit 'under' both names...  
"He wants you to go to Reikai to talk." Kuwabara said, not realy understanding what was bothering the fuming guardian so much..  
"Well that's just peachy. But I hat to remind his royal shortness that I'm sealed here. I can't leave the forest and portals won't work on these grounds." Maru said, the whole time recieting from one of the texts she had read multiple times before. She was sitting on the ground, legs and arms crossed.  
"Sealed?" Hiei asked, a tone of resentment in his voice, he was standing nearby though only close enough to hear..  
Maru sighed, clenched her teeth for a few moments, then answered, " 'Thee who guards the place of power and death must not flee from the land that binds thee, Powers held by thee the keeper bind thy powers and thy body to the land itself.' In other words only a keeper can release me. There are stone markers set up, ten feet apart in a circle exactly a hundred miles wide.. Those are the 'binds that hold thee'." Maru fell silent, still resembling a tiger rather then a 5ft. tall girl.  
Yusuke blinked then started to say something.. Then must of thought better of it.. But Kuwabara wasn't quite that smart.. "Well why don't you do that teleport thing.. With the sparks."  
Red-gold eyes narrowed. "Do you think I'm stupid enough to NOT TRY THAT AFTER 15 YEARS?!" She was standing in the blink of eye.. Hands became fists and she stood there.. But the only factor that probably saved Kuwabara from certain death was the cat-like creature..  
"Yeah Maru, and the old text also says 'One Keeper, one Guardian, One entrance, One Exit. These laws to follow and keep.' That means that with out a Keeper the power binding you here STOPS." The coal black eyes glittered as the cat perched on Maru's head and crossed her forearms.. Though how was beond thought at the moment. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````  
"Okay, this is exactly 100 miles from the temple.." Maru said in a flat and plain voice.. She scanned the area.. Then her eyes began looking along the ground..  
Kuwabara loked at her, confused.. "What are you looking for?" "The barrier's stayed in place for hundreds of years.. So it's burned a small 'line'.. I'm trying to find it..." Maru answered taking a few steps foreward..  
The cat however wasn't paying a flip to Maru's movements and zoomed off the guardain's head... And then after a few feet smacked face first into clear surface.. "I.... Think... I ..Found.. It..."  
Maru rolled her eyes. "Allight, you four go on through.. Then I'll try to figure out something.."  
Yusuke only shrugged and walked through the 'solid' object.. But nothing happened.. The same went for the other three.. But Maru and the cat stood there... Black eyes looking slightly ruffled.. And red-gold ones looking stumped and all around angry..  
"It would figure.. That of all the times the blasted thing worked on me I... Uh.. Maru what are you doing?" The cat had been talking in mid-air while facing the clear wall.. But now her eyes were on Maru who was backing up.. Eyes narrowed and looking along the wall itself.. "Hellllooooohoooo!" The winged cat flew toward's the girl, almond shaped eyes looking confused.. Maru however ignored her.. Instead her gaze went to the earth at her feet.. Then to a tree to her left..  
"Hey Guardian?! What's wr.." "The barrier.. It repells life.." Maru said with a rather crooked smile.. Then they all saw what she was talking about.. No plants or anything else for the matter grew within a full ten feet of the clear looking wall.. But Maru didn't dwell on this fact long at all.  
"What's that got to do with anything?!" "I know how to pass it. This wall knows us through our forms.. The Guardain, and the messenger." Maru stood about 10 feet away from the wall and her smile grew. "Yeah, so what are you going to do?" Yusuke asked, eyes going over the scene from Maru, to where the barrier was, then back to Maru.  
"Well what-ever it is.. Hayaka!(1)" The cat yelled, loud and clear. Maru rolled her eyes and muttered, "Bakayara.(2)" Then she let the smile vanish and she focused with her eyes narrowed.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````` 1)-Hurry up 2)-Jerk/the fool ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````  
Whew... A bit lonher then usual and one of my favs.. A CLIFFHANGER!! WHAHAHAHA!! But i'll be nice and update asap, since of course i'm sure I'll get atleast four reviews.. (hint hint)  
Anywho B_Y_E_!_! _ 


	5. Got a problem with fur? read news at top

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
NEWS!!! Ehem.. Sorry but for those who have read the first two chapters before the last oh... 48 hours.. Please re-read the last two chapters because I redid them to nearly a complete exstent.. Thank you.  
Also, I am looking for an editor..  
  
chapter 5: "Got a problem with fur?"  
  
::telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
"What's she doing?" Kuwabara asked pointing at the now glowing red Maru.. But no answer came.  
Maru was standing stock still, eyes closed, and her energy surrounding her.. But her hands which she held in front of her palms open were by far the brightest part of her.. She ground her feet into the ground as if straining with every fiber of herself not to move..  
The cat however seemed tt understand.. "Maru are you nuts?! What difference is that gonna make you nutcase?!" She did however bolt upwards a few feet with her wings pulsing in air with their own black colored energy..  
If the guardain heard her, she showed no sign of it.. She instead glowed brighter.. Now a panting sound coming from her throat but what came next outshadowed these occurances by far...  
Maru suddenly opened her eyes-her whole form now glowing crimson with her energy.. Then the light obscured everything but her outline from view.. However as quickly as this happened-it reversed with different effects. But not before the apparent human-like shape began to shrink and turn into a dog-like form.. Then the glowing light dissapeared completely..  
There stood a large wolf of sorts-white in color with thick fur. Her feet, muzzle, twin tail tips, and underbelly were more of a light gray color. She had a black mark of sorts on her right shoulder.. Evidence of the wound from before... Her blades now laid at her feet.. Then everyone finally noted how large the wold was..  
She was easily 6ft. long, 3ft. tall with 5in. long white fangs, and 3in. long black claws. All in all, her now black outlined red-gold eyes, and all out appearence silenced everyone-except for a certain cat that was still hovering in mid-air.  
"Stupid Guardian!! Do you have anything like a brain in the head of yours?!"  
Maru seemed unphased by the gawks from Kuwabara and Yusuke, and also not bothered by her transformation.. And proved it. "Klai, shut it. You're huting my ears." The wolf said smoothly twitching her pointed black rimmed ears and showing even more white teeth that shined in the sunlight..  
"It.. It talks?!" Kuwabara yelped pointing straight at the ivory colored canine.  
"Yeah, unfortunatly.." The cat or Klai answered moving back and down about 5ft. in the air.. She crossed her paws with a resentful tone in her normally chipper voice..  
Maru olny closed her jaws and looked at the still gawking half-wit.. Commonly known as Kuwabara.. "Got a problem with fur or did the 'cat' get your tounge?" She asked with a shake of her head and she trotted toward the wall.. But instead of colliding as Klai had thought she would.. She passed smoothly through it.. Then and then onyl did she show any break in her 'cool'....  
Years later everyone present could easily recall the look on the wolf- guardian's face.. Pure bliss and a deep look of pride.. THis crossed the fierce eyes as soon as she stepped foot on the ground outside the rim..  
"What about you Klai?" Yusuke asked, now smiling over Maru's own smile.. Which his didn't show fangs as hers did..  
Klai however must have had other plans.. "Maru.. Uh... I have to.. Uh..."  
Maru rolled her eyes. "WE can wait for you to go somewhere else, go through the barrier, THEN come meet us here." The wolf said with a ticked growl.  
Klai only nodded, blakc eyes shining and she flew off..  
"What's wrong with her?" Hiei asked.. THis time somewhat more casual.. "Oh she's just upset. Doesn't like her uh.. Somewhat human form.." Maru sat down on her haunches.. Forepaws raking the earth with her claws. "She won't be more then three or four minutes tops." It was hard to imagine... That the black cloathed guardain now stood there in a full fledge wolf body..  
Hiei caught himself watching Maru's movements, quick and precise as they were... She seemed almost to be standing on her toes.. ready to jump, turn, drop, or any other movement in the blink of an eye.. But what had her so jumpy? Of course.. There was also another question involved... Why was he watching her so carefully? ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````` BYE!! (did i mention.. I need an editor?) 


	6. Girlfriend

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
chapter 6: Girlfriend?  
  
::telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
They were walking.. As they had been for several moments.. Ko-Enma it semed hadn't been able to 'line-up' a portal.. so they were walking back to where Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama had first come.. Hiei had already been in the Makai...  
But unfortunatly humans seemed to lean toward conversations instead of silence.. Which Maru soon learned could be helpful.. Or annoying..  
"No I made it there on time." Yusuke said, a crooked smile on his face like usual..  
"Good thing, Kieko would've 'punched' you again." Kuwabara with his usual smile. That was one thing Maru had to credit them for.. They sure did smile alot..  
"Who?" The guardian asked, her wolf head looking at the oaf while she padded quietly with them.. But her eyes were proving she actualy wanted to know who this.. Kieko girl was..  
Yusuke seemed for the first time either in shock or speechles.. Perhaps a mixture of both as he stuffed his hands in his pockets..  
Kuwabara laughed then looked back to the wolf. "She's his girl-friend."  
Yusuke however instantly came alive. "She is not my girl-friend Kieko's my friend!" (a/n: rrriiiiigghhttt.)  
Maru chose to interupt their arguement.. Of course her next question caught everyone's attention. "What's a... Girl-friend....?"  
She got two blank stares, one eye roll, and one small smile.. (I leave everyone to guess where each came from..) Klai only looked interrested about the whole thing but was silent..  
Yusuke was blushing and stammering in a somewhat small state of shock.. //She... Doesn't know... And I thought Hiei could be clueless when came to other people...//  
Kurama answered her question, "A girl-friend is a close friend of the opposite gender.. Or a boy would be called a boy-friend."  
Maru took the words into account and thought on them while still padding along.. //Okay... So it must be something like a lover.. Without the sex I guess....// She had understood from the Keeper that the world outside was filled with creatures much like the theives who came to the temple grounds daily.. And sometimes.. Okay most of the time two of these creatures often paired off and were mates.. This usualy lasted for one 'meeting' then often or not they went their own ways.. But a lover was when a pair actualy felt stronger emotions.. and sometimes these couples could stay together for years or even a whole lifetime... Though those were few.. But Maru had used her own thought process to come up with the idea she must have been the product of a mating gone bad.. So the easiest way for her mother or perhaps her father had found to dispose of her had been through the temple..  
"Maru, you said before you'd been at the temple for 15 years.. So how old are you?" Yusuke asked, trying to get a good idea of how much of a life the Guardian had had..  
"I don't know.. Around 16 I guess... The Keeper thought me a simple tool and most don't give their tools ages or names, so I started counting the 'years' as soon as I could by added a line on a tree near the temple.. I had fifteen last time I counted." Maru said simply, not really thinking her age that important.. But Yusuke gave her.. Was it a concerned look.. And Kuwabara gave a blank stare.. Nothing new there..  
"So.. You don't know who your parents are?" Kuwabara asked.. Acting like it was the greatest secret ever told or something of that sort...  
Maru twitched her ears.. As if trying to figure out what he ment.. Parents? Oh yeah.. "You mean the demons or what-ever they were that.." Maru did a reverse. "My parents.. No.. The Keeper never told me who or for that matter what they were. Of course usualy when children are given to the temple.. The parents hide their faces or just leave it on the steps.. There's only been about 5 cases like those as long as I've been there..."  
That wasn't the answer they were looking for.. Nope it wasn't.. Kuwabara had his mouth open slightly in shock, Yusuke just looked kind of digusted, Kurama seemed to sigh somewhat sadly, Hiei just looked at her with the usual hard glare, and Klai looked about as confused and bland as Maru..  
"How did you learn to change forms then... Or fight..?" Yusuke asked, seemingly interested.. But trying to ignore the last answer...  
Maru cocked an eyebrow. "The Keeper taught me five years straight.. Most of it was using toxins, traps, and things of that sort.. But I like the last year when she taught how to use my blades. But She never taught me anything beond that.. I taught myself how to speak japanese, english, a little spanish, and about 5 languages from here..." She had for once seemed happy.. Almost she like the fact that someone really cared if she was smart or not.. Heck if the Keeper ever did.. She'd been ready to kill Maru when the guardian had showed her the new things she could do and fighting styles she'd come up with..  
Everyone seemed to fall into silence.. Well except for Yusuke and Kuwabara who wouldn't have been quiet with a silence spell on them... But Maru began to wonder if she was doing the right thing.. Leaving that is.. There were still things that needed her on those grounds.. Her paws seemed to miss even the soft moss..  
//Come on! There's gotta be one good reason to NOT go back.. I'm free. No old witch to tell me what to do! I'm free.... I've got everything I need now.. I can start over... No more temple, no more keeper, no more paths to watch, no more death everyday... I can stop that..// "I can stop it..." Maru muttered softly as she began to fall behind.. Then she noted why.. Her shoulder was opened and bleeding again.. And was proving that it was still going to pose a problem with it's painful jerks and the torn muscle and cracked bone.. Screw the fact it was her right..  
She tried to ignore it.. Thinking the old 'it'll blow over' saying.. But the fact she suddenly fell flat on her nose.. Er.. Muzzle proved that very much wrong..  
Now there are few things you'll find a demon that they will actualy not try to prove wrong..And Maru wasn't about to say her shoulder was fine.. But she wasn't going to let them see her like this.. So she did the smartest thing she could think of... She tried to get up without anyone seeing her...  
But there's REALLY slim chance of that if one is currently traveling with five people.. 3 of which with rather large mouths...  
Fortunatly.. The single person who hadn't said a single word for atleast the past 15 minutes noted her er... lack of movement and appeared beside her.. Which just plain sucked..  
"Go.. Away." Maru said with a rather strange growl..  
Hiei almost said fine to that.. but decided better of it. Might as well not get bugged by everyone else as to why he'd let the damn wolf fall behind because she was injured.. "You're hurt." "No kidding." Ruby eyes narrowed. Ruby-gold eyes narrowed. "Go.Away." "No." Maru suddenly began to wonder if this arguement would ever end.. Okay, short man wanted to argue.. (mentle picture of Maru twisting a bseball cap around backwards on her head) Bring it on. "Why don't you go bug someone else, flea?" "Baka lobo." (idiot-japanese, wolf-spanish) "Oh wow.. That REALLY hurt." "Same goes for yours." -_-; About ten minutes later...  
"Damn wolf."  
Maru did a mentle eye roll since her real eyes were currently glarring daggers at the 'flea'. "How long did it take you to think that one up?"  
Then by some grace of the gods Klai dropped out of the sky and gave a shout, "I found them!"  
Hiei and Maru but rolled their eyes and muttered, "Great." At the same time.. Which bothered Maru enough to where she the fur along her spin stood on end as she bristled..  
Hiei began glowing with a small hint of a flame around him.. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara walked up.. Eyeing the pair with slightly unsettled looks..  
Klai however seemed to be the single one with her tounge about her. "Yamette, Futariwa." (stop it both of you-japanese)  
Maru snorted but stood shakily. "Tell him, he's the one that stopped moving." She said this as she began limping forward.. Ignorring the looks..  
Klai however turned to everyone as soon as the wolf was out of ear shot. "I suggest you mwntion stopping somewhere pretty soon." Was all the cat said as she blinked her coal black eyes and flew after the retreating white form... ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````  
WHHEEWW!! My hands are aching... But... This chapter had a few plot thickening moments, ne? Now our little guardian has a past and it would seem has no earthly idea who her parents were.. Leaves alot of room for ideas... I LOVE making litle slots where I can put just about anything there.. *sigh* But that's all you guys need to need to know... 


	7. Wolfhuman

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. ideas, ect. Temple Grounds  
  
chapter 7:Wolf-human  
  
::telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Maru sighed as the crimson glowing faded.. Then she stood, looking herself over to make sure that she'd done everything right.. No tails, no ears, small fangs, no claws, and her usual outfit which she promptly change to her more 'normal' clothes. This included a red happi coat with gold trim, a pair of black chinese styled pants, red leather sandals, a white sash, and of course a new short sword across her back, and her two daggers. She let her hair down, brushed it, then it went up again into the usual ponytail and she walked back to camp... Her right shoulder being held by her left hand every time she moved to fast or jerked it...  
"There you are." Klai said hovering beside the guardian's head.  
"Yeah here I am." Maru responded.. Then she finally made it to where the four guys were sitting... Though Hiei was in a tree just above them...  
Yusuke glanced at her, then did a double take.. "How.. where did those come from?"  
Maru blinked then answered with a cocked eyebrow, "Dempa."  
Klai smiled, showing her cat-like fangs at the three confused faces and one glance.  
"What's a 'dempa'.." Kuwabara asked.. Looking at Maru like he had just noticed her..  
"Demensional pack."  
Klai giggled then explained, "Maru can form demensional tears and uses them to teleport from one place to another and as storage."  
"So the gold sparks before.."  
"Were me using the teleportation." Maru said simply, sitting down and crossing her legs and arms.. But it wasn't till a few minutes later that Yusuke noticed something.. "Che, Maru what's up you haven't said a word for.." Then he saw her eyes were closed and her head was tilted forward slightly.. And Klai was curled beside her.. both asleep.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````  
Maru opened her eyes.. Senses suddenly jolted awake by a faint relization.. Someone was near.. not one ofthese four nor Klai.. She tightened her grip on reality and reached slowly to her right dagger with her left hand.. Still pretending to be in a deep slumber..  
Klai moved a little as the sheath just above her purple head moved as metle was removed from it.. But she didn't awake..  
Maru shifted the blade so that it was ready for anything, at attack or an attacker.. But it took serveral moments before Maru scented something... A drug.. Probably a plant that's scent made you drowzy.. Small wonder why it didn't work on her.. The keeper had gone out of her way to make Maru well pretected from such things..  
The guardian waited for serveral more heart beats.. Testing the air for where the intruder was... Then she located it.. twenty or more yards away.. Bushes.. To her right..  
Then it was barely a blink before Maru was three yards away from the being.. Her whole form a blur of gold sparks as she struck out with her left hand.. But what-ever this being was.. It had remarkably good reflexes..  
Her blade was dodged then the thing snarled... TheNext Maru saw claws flash and another shriek escaped her mouth as more pain shot through her right shoulder.. New claws now pulsing in the wound..  
"Haha, little half-breed!!! I found you and your friends!!" The same raspy, earaching voice... The same red orbs, the same snarling fangs... The same human/wolf-like form..  
Maru grasped onto this as a deep and overwhelming wrath suddenly exploded from her body... Red energy now sweeping over her as she yelled, "YOU?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?! Why are you following me?!"  
Slash, a shriek, another slash, an unearthly scream.. The wolf fell at Maru's feet.. The girl panted.. Blood oozing from her shoulder and from a new cut that ran down her face... But she wasn't done, with a hearty kick the wolf fell on it's back.. Jaws open and blood coming from it's slit throat.. But suddenly it came back to life as Maru plunged her dagger into it's chest.. right where the heart was..  
After a few seconds it stopped moving and Maru focused her energy.. Burning it until hardly ashes were left of it and the plant it had been using.. But the damage was done.. She stood, walked back to where she had been and fell down to the ground.. Red-gold eyes glowing with an inner flame that slowly began to fade as she dozed off... ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````  
Hiei opened his eyes.. His head spun a little and that told him all her needed to know, he began searching for anything.. And his eyes found two things, 1) A burned spot with the unmistakable stench of charred flesh.. And 2) Maru..  
He blinked, red orbs trying to see what was wrong with her but he noted the blood and flickered out of sight and reappeared on the ground, already opening his mouth to wake up Kurama. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````  
"How did she fair?" It was deep voice, cracked with age but a somewhat youthful face with grey eyes and unruly black hair asked a dark form before him..  
"She is injured my lord.. She won't be able to travel until her wounds heal." The wolf/human answered.. Claws glinting in the small amount of light in the room...  
"I though she would be dead, that is what you promised Juro."  
"Sire, we had no idea she would be so immune to the plant.. Everyone else in the group failed to wake until it was removed.." The wolf seemed to shudder as the armored being before him drew a long sword...  
"I don't want exuses.. I want this 'Maru' dead!" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````  
Maru bolted upward.. Suddenly aware of something.. What had that been? Hadn't that wolf been the very person she had just killed? And who was that 'lord' who wanted her dead?  
Then she looked around, eyes meeting red ones... But she fell back, overwhelmed with the sudden waves of pain.. "You're awake."  
"Yeah..." She said with a low growl.. Showing him she wasn't in the mood for an argument nor for company..  
Hiei smirked. "What happened?"  
Maru was silent, trying to think if she should tell him.. But it was either that, or explain it to someone else... She rolled her eyes, "Remember that wolf you guys found me with.. The dead one."  
He was silent so she took it as a yes.. "He burned the temple... And He was here last night.. Both times I killed him..."  
Hiei eyes widened somewhat.. "You're sure?"  
Maru lifted herself up, looking to her left at him.. "You think that after killing for 15 years I don't know when somethin's dead?"  
He shook his head, barely but he did... "Last night I slit the damn thing's throat, then stabbed it where it should have a heart.. Then burned it.. But I bet it won't be enough..." Maru said laying back.. She was weak.. But then she noted that he was the only one here...  
Hiei seemed to read her actions, "Kurama went to go get something to heal you, Yusuke and the oaf went to see the toddler along with Klai, and I.."  
"Stayed here to 'protect' me. I swear.." Maru muttered, but didn't even finish her sentence.. Instead she seemed to float in the limbo between sleep and reality.. But lost and fell back.. Thinking, //I didn't tell him about the vision...// But even this seemed to be swept away as she fell into darkness.... ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````` Awww.. Not really but I just wanted to say that.. So.. Any ideas on who the 'grey eyed lord with unruly black hair' is? If you get it right.. I'll do something.. Hmmm......... 


	8. Plenty to go back to

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
chapter 8:plenty to go back to  
  
::telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Ko-Enma blinked, looking at Yusuke with a look of confusion stamped on his face.. "Who?"  
The raven haired tenn rolled his eyes, "M.A.R.U. Maru, the guardian? You know from the temple?"  
"But..." The demi-god fell silent.. He then jumped up shouted to George who was standing nearby, "Ogre! Go get the file that was on my desk!"  
Beedy black eyes tossed a confused look, "Which one?"  
"The black one you idiot!"  
"Oh, the Missing People file?"  
Ko-Enma answered with a death like glare...  
George needless to say was out ond in with in the two minute mark.. Holding a rather sad and crumbled looking file... "What's that thing?" Yusuke asked. "Ogre, look and see if there's a file on 'Maru'?" Flip.. Flip... Flip... "Sir... Yes but the case is almost 17 years old.." George said handing the folder to Ko-Enma, who began reading the page... With short sentences aloud..  
"Mother-unknown, Father- Togasha Sayushi... Missing shortly after birth.. red-gold eyes, brown hair, red bangs, marks across back..." Ko-Enma stopped, "That Maru?"  
Yusuke and Kuwabara were speechless.. However short lived that may have been. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````  
"My lord, may I ask why you wish to dispose of one so young?" Grey eyes flashed but he fixed a bland look on his face.. "Because of the trouble's that 'child' can cause." He answered bitterly.. He ignored the small bundle clutched in the old woman's arms.. Her hawk yellow eyes bright though her features were worn by time..  
"Surely she could be taught.." The old woman began but he cut her off.  
"NO! I won't have a worthless half-breed knowing who her parents are. It's best if she just vanish and..." He fell silent, grey eyes flarring in anger.. But his wrath only prevented him of speech.. But nothing else..  
"Have her die? Disspear? Or be killed? You are her father, and as for the mother.. She isn't here anymore to take care of her.. Though I doubt that exuses you from even carring for her for Sarania's sake!" The old keeper was giving him an ear-full.. Though little good it did..  
"You want me to care about that thing because I slept with the mother?!"  
  
That.. Was..Wrong...... Everything... It was all wrong...  
The keeper was vivibly ruffled.. Her priestess clothes not hiding it.. "It's people like you.. That Cause the Anago Temple to have to deal with such things... Though I had hoped I could save atleast one child.. But you only see a strong and heathly baby as a burden.. So you're sentencing her to death.. Or atleast of life of it!"  
"If that wretch that gave birth to her were still alive it would be different!" He roared back.. Not carring that round, frightened, red-gold eyes were watching him intently.. Not aware of the deep pain that was knawing at her.. He didn't care...  
"Would be different..." She shook her head.. "I'll leave.. But remember.. Should the time come when she begins to understand more of the world which you're silencing her from.. She'll know that all you had to say just came out of your mouth.. That you'll willfully kill your own flesh and blood.. And just when I had come to tell you what the Telellu thought of her..." The old woman turned on heel and started to walk out of the great hall..  
He blinked, "What did that dragon say, Suna?" His voice was heavy.. Was there remorse there? Keeper stopped, thinking, then she said in her old and ancient voice as she walked out.. "'She will be a great person one day Suna.. Perhaps greater then the seed that bore her.. But she shall have a troubled path.. That she will..' That's what the very power of the god's said about your daughter.. What she said about Maruka Sayushi.." And that name woke Maru up from the dream.. ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
Red-gold eyes opened... She stiffly tried to rise... Biting back the internal urge to vomit.. The Telellu.... The thing that had left the marks on her back.. Maru knew what was there.. Two black streaks.. Just along her shoulder blades parallel and going downward.. Each about 10 inches or so long.. The keeper or Suna had said that several years ago..  
//So that's why.. He must have sent the wolf to kill me, kill Suna, distroy the temple, to do everything to stop me? But from what? What am I that scares him so badly.. // She looked along the darkened sky as she stood.. Then walked fore a few minutes until she reached the stream.. She crouched there, removed the happi coat.. then splashing water over her skin and the strap that served as a bra, began to think..  
What was going to happen now? She had to get to see this Ko-Enma.. Maybe he knew who this Togasha Sayushi was.. Then, she'd kill the bastard herself.. Her mother had died either after or maybe durring her birth.. And he had called her those things and talked as if she were a thing.. A simple item he'd had a 'romp' with.. It would figure.. But then again she had been right.. She was the product of two mates.. But she had assumed both were still alive.. And had disposed of her in either an agreement, or mayhap the mother's choice.. But go figure it was her father.. And a lord or something at that.. Wasn't life just peachy?  
//I swear.. What happened to simple paths I had to follow to kill tresspassers...? Or what about the old lessons..// Maru smirked, good old Suna always had had a lecture ready and waiting for the never listening guardian.. But what the hell that had been life.. Fighting day in and day out so she could survive and proetect those very grounds.. The same ones that Suna had called, the lands that shall bind thy power forever.. But it hadn't.. Not in reality.. Maru was here, outside those lands, outside the life she had gotten so used to.. She was free....  
"We all have our single place in this time.. It can be anywhere we feel a strong connection to.. But no matter what the reason or circumstance-we have that place.."  
//Those words again.. I wonder.. I wonder if that's one of Suna's saying's.. Sounds so much like her...//  
"Anything wrong?" It was short dark and handsom again..  
Maru shook her head, not bothering to look for him.. "No.. Just.. Thinking over what I'm going to do.."  
/The moonlight  
Shines down in stellar beams.  
And the groove tonight  
Is something then you've ever seen./ "Hn?" Maru gave one long sigh.. "I've only got so many choices now.." She laughed a small tired one and looked at her reflection.. The mark burning on her right cheek.. "It's weird how in a way.. I've got nothing to go foreward to.. But plenty to go backwards to.." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````` Okay.. I have no idea what was wrong with me when I wrote this so please hold any questions.. I'll try to answer them I promise... 


	9. Mental shutdown

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 9: Mental Shutdown  
  
::Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
/I'm about to show you  
What I got in me so  
Hold up  
It's time to break through. /  
  
"Maru, look I can tell something's up.. You're pacing.. You don't pace you sit and mope.." Klai said floating as usual.. Her eyes on the moving Guardian before her..  
"I'm fine..." "No you're not. Ko-Enma's in there talking to the four-some while you're out here, waiting and wearing a hole in the tile." Klai didn't bother trying to stop the girl, just ignored looks an ogre or two passed her..  
Maru gave a low 'go away' growl and kept pacing.. Sandals slapping the cold tile beneath her with rhythmic taps.. But she did mentally admit she was pacing.. :: God can anyone hear this?:: Silence.. Ugh that bothered her.. She needed to unload and badly but fat chance when there was no one to talk to 'cept a feline..  
/I hate to be the one  
That's gotta have two faces  
But I got a burning desire  
That's breaking through the false embraces. / But she knew what she had to do.. Every bone ached with the knowledge.. Her father was planning on killing her, had destroyed the temple, stolen things, and killed Suna.. What more could he do.. Hopefully this 'demi-god' would see that as such.. Please see it that way.. Then perhaps she could show Togasha what she was.. Show him she was everything he hadn't wanted.. She would cause trouble for him.. She'd prove that.. But how.. By herself? No, she wouldn't last 2 days.. Fight-yes.. Heal-no.. Find way-no.. Know way- hell no... /I've got two roads to choose  
And two only.  
So you gotta understand  
This one's the one I gotta use. / Suddenly a girl walked out of the office and looked at Suna strangely.. She had bright pink-purple eyes, blue hair in a ponytail and the most odd looking outfit Maru had ever seen.. But she recognized it as a kimono easily enough.. Though slim chance she'd figure out why anyone in his or her right mind would wear one..  
"You must be Maru. I'm Botan, guide to the River Styx." She said in a peppy sounding voice.. One that was all too similar to Klai's.  
Maru nodded, then looked at Klai.. "I take it he wants to see us.." Botan nodded.. /And the sun may rise higher  
Burning you straight through  
Red and flamin'  
Straight from my heart's own fire./ Maru walked in the office and didn't see what she expected.. A small toddler was stamping papers.. Which was rather odd so she shrugged her shoulders.. Receiving a wince. But she stood in front of the desk, didn't bow, didn't how any sign of respect or disrespect.. Just stood there..  
/And my dreams are my own concern  
Just like the heavens yours  
So let me be cause  
I've just gotta return. / "You would be Maruka?" Ko-Enma asked, shifting his 'binki' to the other side of his mouth. (Which need I say I think its glued there..)  
Red-gold eyes narrowed. "No. I'm Maru."  
Ko-Enma didn't know how to talk to the girl.. Sure she looked young enough but she seemed so.. Stiff, bitter, with her mind at least 100 miles away. " I need to ask you some thing's about the temple.."  
Harsh voice greeted his question, "Fine." "Do you know what was there? Being kept at the graves?" Maru stood still for a few moments, fierce eyes wandering smoothly in their depths.. "Yes, and no. Most of the items were texts.. Books and scrolls.. A few tablets."  
"Nothing anyone could steal and use?"  
"Oh yes there are many things of that kind there but.. I was never allowed to see them... At least as far as the Keeper was concerned." Maru answered, dodging the fact he was fishing for names, specifics and things of that nature.. But she was about to show him her 'social skills' when it came to a conversation...  
/And I can't fight it  
And I can't burn it  
And I can't run from it  
'Cause my soul's light../ "And you didn't listen to her?" Ko-Enma couldn't help but notice she didn't seem the type of girl to listen to everything she was told.. A true born teenager...  
"What would you think?" Maru answered with a humph. She crossed her arms beneath her ample bosom and swayed her hips to stand in a more offensive manner.. She was certainly spelling out that she was meaning to be takin seriously..  
/I've gotta return cause..  
I can't fight it  
I can't burn it  
I can't run from it  
'cause my soul is light. /  
Ko-Enma decided to switch tactics.. He changed into his teenage form.. But she still stood there looking more or less 'ticked'. "Maru, we need to know what was taken from the temple."  
The Guardian nodded. "The grave sights weren't bothered, the only thing that was taken was a life. Though you should have been aware of that already."  
Another verbal guard.. She was doing everything not to give a straight or a useful answer to him.. Damn..  
/So step back,  
Because I've had my fill  
I've seen enough  
It's time for my decision to backtrack. / Botan stood outside wondering.. What was Maru trying so hard to hide? Something at the temple was pulling her back there.. Surely not the Keeper's death.. From what Botan had seen Maru would have hated the old woman.. /Oh you don't understand  
You just ignore what I'm sayin'  
Oh but that's alright...  
'Cause here's my own command. / Oh well, time to cut to the chase.. "Maru, I want you to go to the Human world until we can find out who the creatures are that are tracking you."  
".............................................." ~_~... "............." Maru opened her mouth.. No.. She wouldn't go there... No she had to get back at Togasha.. SHE HAD TO GET BACK AT HIM.. No she shouldn't... Her eyes flickered gold for one swift moment.. Then she began to speak.. But once again her brain wasn't quite recovered from the mental shutdown mode.. /You're gonna try to stop me..  
You don't understand.. So here's me a-sayin'.  
Why can't you just see?!/ "I know that must be shock but I want you to go there, even if only for a few months."  
Maru however was about as attentive as a boulder.. She was frozen.. Hands to her sides and mouth slightly open in shock.. And for once.. Utterly speechless... //Please.. Please.. Wake up...// /That I've had enough!  
I've seen everything I can here!  
So stop pulling me back down that road!  
Stop, pull back, turn away, enough's enough. / She only shut her mouth.. Rose red lips thin and narrow now.. Her eyes retreated back to a darker red color.. And she nodded.. It was all as if she had no idea what she was doing.. It was falling apart.. Why couldn't she tell the binki sucking idiot to buzz off and let her stay in the Makai to find that bastard and kill him? He'd follow her here with his servants.. So why couldn't she just go back..  
Go back to what? The temple grounds.. God her life revolved around that place even though she was literally a whole world away.. So why? She had been raised there but it wasn't a part of her.. Or was it? Even now she could easily go back there with her thoughts.. She had hated that place for so long.. That in all reality she had no idea why she hated it any more.. Because it had been a wall around her.. Because it had shone something.. That she wasn't free.. But what about here? Was she as free as she had been with a forest surrounding her and filling her eyes..  
Dragon eyes... My dear Dragon eyes... Those words sounded so close right now.. They fit on a soft voice.. Maybe her mother's? After all she had been given' to the temple maybe a year old.. So hadn't her mother at least seen her child? If she did what did she see in the red-gold eyes... Dragon eyes.... My dear Dragon eyes.. /And memories won't stop me  
  
You can cry and cry  
  
I don't care  
  
Because I promise that I'll see.  
  
Or will I..  
  
I'm not scared, I'm not tame.  
  
I can run or fight.  
  
But let go  
  
Cause I'm goin' back...  
  
I don't care what's right..  
  
Or do I...  
  
I can show you, teach you, anything..  
  
But I won't let you hold me back.  
Because I'm not the bird without a good wing..  
So turn back, enough is enough..  
  
Or is it...  
  
Yeah I'll show you, this I swear.. I'm goin' back.... I'm leavin' I don't care what's right.. Or do I? /  
  
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Okay.. So she's going to the Ningenkai... But there's still that pesky problem of what to do to daddy... Review for more! 


	10. It's Just a name

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 10:It's just a Name  
  
::Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
"Is she okay? She looks sick.." Kieko murmured while whispering in Yusuke's ear.. She tossed the quiet girl a concerned look but only received something less then an acknowledging glance..  
Yusuke bit his lip then answered, "She'll be okay.. But she can hear you." He smirked at the slightly off-guard look that crossed onto Kieko's face for a moment then she stiffened but looked about as calm as she could and walked over to Maru..  
Now, most people, when they're in a bad mood, don't want to be talked to.. Now the Guardian had scowled around Genkai's temple.. (Ironic ne?) For at least the whole weekend.. Most either didn't care or chose the wise decision of leaving her alone. Hen Botan had had her try at trying to cheer up Maru with the thought of living here for a few months.. The words vacation, rest, easy, and such were mentioned numerous times but Maru kept rapt attention to windows or when she did manage to get somewhere without walls or roof she'd look away from everything but trees, mountains/hills, and the sky..  
But she hadn't said but three words in nearly 48 hours.. Which Yusuke mentioned, she was breaking Hiei's record.. Of course, then came the uniform.. Blue skirt, blue shirt, petticoats, yellow skirt, brown buckle shoes, and no weapons.. The Guardian had fought, cussed, ranted, fumed, fought, and fought, and for a change, fought some more.. But in the end Yukina, Botan, and Kieko had finally gotten her into the clothes. Which Genkai then neatly patted a ward onto the back of Maru's neck.. Which sealed her energy, her strength for the most part, and made the girly outfit literally indestructible.. This was basically the factor for Maru's rather nasty mood at the moment.. But of course Kieko had no idea she was still angry.. Until now.. "Maru, are you feeling okay?" Kieko asked looking about as friendly as a thorn to Maru at the moment. Alas, the humans were rather persistent.. Maru didn't in all reality look horrible in the uniform but then again; she didn't like it-end of story. She had her hair for once in a braid and washed by nearly every kind of shampoo in the world until the girl's finally figured out the red wasn't a blood stain to Maru's head.. THEY HAD BEEN THERE SINCE SHE WAS BORN. But of course the 'air headed' group had figured that out little late..  
On the up side however Kieko noted that after Maru's hair had dried, it had copper colored highlights.. Faint but there at least.. But one thing that hadn't changed, were her eyes. They were still glowing with more of a red to them then before.. But in the morning light the gold shone well.  
"Bloody good thanks." Maru answered. It had made her more then happy to go out of her way to add a growl of some sort to nearly every word she had said since she had arrived her three days ago..  
Yusuke's thoughts were, //She'll blow in a few minutes.. But she's said 5 words.. // Kieko winced, but needless to say she got the message-really quickly. Kuwabara however noted how Maru's energy was raising in a rather not so harmless way.. "What's your problem?"  
The guardian ruffled visibly but knew there was little she could do about it.. //I swear to whatever god there is up there I WILL NOT under any circumstance forgive that binki sucking, worthless toddler for sending me here?! It's nuts, stupid, wrong, retarded!! // Maru growled, not a warning one or one like a purr or sigh, but rather a deep throated one that sounded like one from a canine.. Her eyes flashing gold now. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
  
"Please.. Let her go to his home.. She'll be happy there.." It was a weak voice, female and faint with a deep sense of an end jut on the edge of the owner's senses.. It was strange but it was like one could see a pale faced lady whispering with a faint smile on her lips.. But the voice was silenced by a panic stricken one, louder but still quiet. "My lady, he'll have the young babe killed! Surely you're mother could care for her.." The accent was almost British, but with traces of an older sound to it.. "No.. My Dragon Eyes will live with her father.. She deserves to be away from this death." "She deserves life my Lady.. Surely Kanatra.." "No.. She is growing older.. She wouldn't be able to take care of another baby.. She has Tsuki and Kly.. But Togasha will.. He'll be able to see how perfect she is.. Then the Keeper can tell him what the Telellu thinks of her.." Bliss.. And a thought of a happiness she'd never know.. That's what filled the voice.. But a small whimper came from a baby.. And a sigh.. "Promise Me.. You'll do fine in the dragon clan won't you?.. You're the perfect daughter for him.." And that had been It.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````` Maru opened her eyes, the teacher's horrible lecture on the life pattern of some sort of stupid ningen animal.. God this was torture.. But the voices were still there- not as strong but still there. That had been her mother. No doubt she had been dying.. "Miss Ishida? May I ask what is so interesting?" It was bucked tooth beaver.. Commonly known as the teacher.. She resisted the urge to say everything was better then his crappy lectures.. So instead she tried a more tactful way.. "I couldn't help but notice how pointless it was-so I've been going over more 'useful' topics of 'science'."  
That got a few looks and the teacher widened his eyes.. "Alright. If you can ignore a lecture with-out bothering to take notes, then perhaps you wouldn't mind taking the quiz I was going to give afterwards?" Maru had her head resting in the palm of her left hand but dropped it to the desk and narrowed her eyes. "Sounds good to me."  
"Alright, if you score anything less then a 60 you'll have detention for a week." The teacher pulled a paper off the desk and nodded to the hall.. Maru stood, walked to the front of the room, got the paper, and then closed the classroom door behind her, eyes closed.. "Alright, can anyone tell me what function this portion of the wing serves? You had better write down the answer you think then raise your hand when you're done." Barely twenty more seconds past before the door opened again.. And there stood Maru, eyes closed as she walked to the teacher shoved the paper to his face, turned on heel and walked back to her desk.. Pencil stuck in her braid like a double-edged spike..  
"Miss Ishida! You were to complete the.." "Yeah, the quiz." Maru said mimicking the teacher's voice perfectly.. Then she crossed her arms, as she leaned back in her seat, eyes still closed. " I did, baka."  
Beaver tooth opened his mouth then he shut it. "Alright, then let's see how you did." He said with his voice cocky. He wrote her answers on the board, 1-30. Then he pulled out the key from his pocket. He picked up a piece of chalk and held it to the board.. Ready to mark it wrong.. But he didn't. His hand slid down to the next, then moved again, nothing. This repeated for twenty-eight more times.. Every answer left unmarked and untouched.. The teacher's face purple and angry.. But only small squeaks and gasps escaped his thin lips. "HOW?! You weren't out there for a minute!! You cheated, how, who?!"  
Maru only tapped a foot and opened her eyes for the first time. "Easy, I did it with my bloody eyes closed. I guessed at what you'd say, and wrote it down you bucktoothed freak of nature."  
Kieko whimpered.. Eyes widened and her hand to her mouth..  
Yusuke only smiled plain and simple. Though he personally had seen exactly what this teacher could do.. But the guy couldn't argue with a perfect paper-since he had told her to do it and had set himself up by putting it up on the board.. Maru had proved the jerk wrong- end of story. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
Maru sat at the lunch table, thinking hard on what was happening in her life at the moment.. But of course the perfect papergirl with perfect marks and a great serving of attitude could hardly be left alone.. One boy proved that as he sat down beside her, one of those 'high school girl killing smiles'. He had perfect brown eyes, perfect hair, and perfect blue suit.. Joy, guy prep was here. // Wonder what tall, dark, and handsome wants? // Maru thought rolling her crimson-gold eyes..  
"Hello." "Hi ya'." Maru answered, trying her best not to back track and sock him in the nose.. "Are you the new transfer student?" //Transfer.. Transfer.. Uh yeah..// "Yes." "Oh, so you ARE the one everyone's been talking about." He seemed to nod, focusing more on his lunch now.. Which in a way confused the Guardian.. She'd seen little of males on the grounds- though over the past few days that had obviously changed.. But at least his eyes hadn't traveled down south like the usual jerks..  
Red-gold eyes traveled over the other tables, looking harder at each person- testing their scents and such in the air.. It WAS different here.. Maybe not as horrible as she had thought but still it was different.. Then her private thoughts were shaken as the boy beside her asked something.. "How'd you know the answers to that quiz? The teacher usually doesn't make them easy.. But you had to have set a record or something.." Maru smirked. "Easy, he's a bucked tooth blow hard that needs a good lesson of his own." She answered then thought a moment then realized something- no names yet. Hello! "Sorry, my name's Maru. Yours?" Maru stuck out her right hand, as she had been taught.. Though the boy arched an eyebrow.. Most girl's didn't even bother telling you their names in a plain manner.. There was always some wink or giggle.. But here was the new girl shaking hands and being rather straight foreword.. "Uh, yeah mine's Joshii." Maru cocked an eyebrow, "Huh?" "Er.. Nickname.. Guess I've gotten used to it huh?"  
The Guardian only rolled her eyes at his disarming smile. //Ug.. Humans. // But she still muttered, "I know how that feels." "Really? Is Maru not your real name," He asked, seemingly interested in what she was talking about.. "Well.. No and yes. I've never really heard my real name except for like twice.. But it doesn't matter. It's only a name." She said shrugging it away, but he didn't agree. "No, a name is something someone gives you. It's gotta fit for you." He smiled. "Where did you get it anyway?"  
Maru was silent for a good twenty seconds.. Then she sighed.. "I was little.. And I saw the Keep.. Uh.. My grand-mother holding a clip she was supposed to prot.. Um.. Keep safe and I watched it and wouldn't tear my eyes away from it for hours... It was a hair clip made of glass and a few stones.. Or gems I guess. But it was called a Kunamaru.. And the word stuck.. So she called me Maru." "That's a cool story. So how is your grand-mother now? Still calling you Kunamaru?" Joshii asked, smiling still. He looked so.. Normal.. "No... She died a few days ago, and it's Maru now.." She muttered in answer suddenly standing as the bell sounded... ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
A week... A whole week had passed. She had been hit on no less then four times, three guys were now scared to death of her very name, and one hadn't woken up yet, she had been chewed by no less then 6 preps for even talking to Joshii, and had made nothing but 100's so far, and to boot had been training like a maniac every afternoon after school. Kieko was still pissed at her for ticking of the science teacher.. But in all truth Maru didn't give half a rat's ass about it.. All the more fun for her as she smiled on a Saturday afternoon. She was sitting on the temple steps dressed in her training outfit.. Baggy gray sweat pants, a sleeveless white shirt, bandage on her shoulder, and glove still on her hand.. It hadn't been removed as of yet and Maru seemed dead set on keeping it that way.. Though of course with Kieko, Shizuru, and Botan around that wasn't a garentee.. Though for some reason Maru was in high spirits.. In a manner of speaking atleast..  
Her red-gold eyes had yet to not grab atleast ten odd looks from the people in her school and along the roads she tended to walk down with someone trying to keep her from getting lost right and left.. But right now the guardian was content to sit on the steps and 'enjoy' the sunlight.. Of course this meant with a slight half-smile half-smirk playing on her lips but what the heck.. She'd made it a week, ne? "Maru, you seem to be happier today." Yukina walked up, sleeves pulled up and smiling as well.. "But it is a pretty day."  
"You got that right.. I didn't think I was going to make it a whole week with this blasted ward on my neck.." Maru said rolling her eyes.. She knew it was water-proof, fire-proof, scratch-proof, heat resistant, and had a good way with cold as well.. She'd tried everything to get it off.. Well, almost everything... ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````````  
  
I've got something I REALLY WANT TO SAY!! Ehem.. I had toyed around with the idea of erasing this fic since no one's been reviewing lately... Well for those of you who like my story but don't want to say anything.. consider yourselves lucky.. I had had a VERY bad day.. And lo and behold I'm so happy now I'm surprised I'm not chirping.. All because of one review.. Natalie... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't know how else to say it... I read the review you sent and I swear I just about jumped up and danced-and I don't get that happy very often so thank you soooooo much. Thank-you for saying I'm an actual writer, thank-you for your love of sarcasm, thank you for saying you might mention this story, (you don't have to, I REALY could care less 'cause I'm about to start bouncing off of walls anyway..) But Just thanks all the way around... You made my day and that's all I can say.. (Okay that rhymed...)  
But it's little peeps like you who make all the difference and I'm serious.. So.. TTTTTHHHHHHAAAAAANNNNNNNNKKKKKKKKK_YYYYYOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	11. Keeper, Guardian, and Messenger

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Hakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 11: Keeper, Guardian, Messenger  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Klai batted her wings in a nervous manner but still remained still and quiet.. It was dark now, had been for a few hours.. Genkai and Yukina were asleep.. But Maru was still sitting up in her room.. No doubt going over ways to get rid of the ward that plagued her so much.. But the cat-demon blinked her coal-black eyes and twitched her purple furred ears testing the air.. Then she drew her purple-black wings closer to her body and jumped out of the tall pine.. After dropping a few feet she opened them and flew soundlessly to the light filled window.. And hovered just outside- watching...  
Maru was sitting on her futon, concentrating and glowing slightly.. No that was just the light playing with the red-brown hair.. It was down, and fell about Maru's shoulders in a rather softer looking appearance.. Quiet the opposite of what normally could describe the Guardian..  
"Klai, come here.. No sense spying on someone you can talk to ya' know." Maru's voice was strong and steady... Though that commanding tone was still present as usual. Klai listened and suddenly appeared, perching on Maru's left knee sense both were out and the girl's legs in an Indian style position.  
"Hey, anything bothering you, Guardian?" Klai's fur was ruffled slightly because of the cold temperature of the room.. But why? Usually Maru radiated so much heat.. Why not now?  
"Nothing too serious but tell me something.. What do you remember about the old texts?" Maru asked, eyes narrow and voice still strong..  
/I'm never gonna loose my sight..  
Never gonna stop this fight.  
So much has changed  
But I won't get rearranged../ Klai looked confused but turned her head and looked the girl straight in the eye.. "Well, a bunch of things we've proved wrong just by sitting here." Maru gave a soft smile.. and for once Klai saw a tired look in the chaotic orbs.. It was bothersome how the bright gold-red eyes now looked like a dark and sickly raspberry color.. "I know, but not others.. Like the last few." Maru said starring hard at the floor.. Klai resisted the urge to tell the girl to stop playing her mind games but the Guardian wasn't.. "Okay.. 'Forever shall thy thoughts not part from these lands if thou are Keeper, Guardian, or Messenger.' Why? Anything wrong with it?" Klai asked uncertainly. "The Keeper, the Guardian, and the Messenger.." Maru muttered, eyes hidden from view.. /This road's been long and hard.  
But it's not over by far.  
I may be gone far away.  
But strong at heart I'll try to stay. /  
  
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Suna looked at the young child she held in her hands.. Her yellow eyes wavering and flickering with closely shed tears.. But the leather face was dry and stayed as such.. But her voice quivered and her chin trembled.. "Poor child.. I'm going to face many a flame after a die for this.. You don't deserve a life such as this.. Your mother, Sarania was right.. You do deserve a life free of the death that surrounded her birth.. But She also deserves something more then Togasha could ever teach or give her..." Her hands and arms trembled as the child looked at her with it's red-gold eyes.. "She deserves love... And happiness.. And most of all.. A better life then one Togasha has now sentenced her to.. Or any of them. 'The Keeper, The Guardian, and The Messenger." "I told Sarania... Maruka I did.. But she was blind.. Even more so then Togasha.. But why a child to replace the Guardian.. Why a babe that won't even know a life she was sealed from?... Why You, Dragon Eyes?" Suna placed an old hand on the child's head.. Trying to calm it and herself.. Though only accomplishing one.. "But if there is a god out there that can help.. Please let her not die here as I will.. Let her go.. If all of the rules I teach are to break then so be It.. Just let her go.."  
Silence.. Then darkness but a steady, wizened old voice came to Maru's ears.. "Dragon Eyes... I will give you my word.. You will leave here. But in return.. Do something for this place that a hundred Keeper's never could.. Prove that Telellu was right.. Prove that should something happen.. You'll be able to survive.. I want that for you.. And Sarania did as well.. Dragon Eyes.." And a kind face with a smile came.. Suna in her priestess clothes.. Yellow eyes narrow with a happy smile turning her face back in time. Everything looked just the way it had 5 years ago.. 10 years ago.. Or as far back as Maru could remember.. But she faded away... And that was the last Maru ever saw of the old Keeper.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````  
Maru's eyes came back into focus of the world around her.. But a deep burning in her heart hurt more then anything she'd ever known... Like everything was over.. The one person who had cared for her was really gone. And she had to keep the fact that even though the Keeper had been old, stubborn, a witch at times, a hag, and a head shorter then Maru.. She had been more of a mother then anyone else.. And she was gone..  
/I'm not who I wanted to be.  
Not a single thing I like I see.  
But you did everything you could.  
Though from your efforts-nothing good. / Klai could tell Maru was crying and she let her ears droop.. "Maru, she knew what was going to happen.. That's why she sent you to the edge of the lands.. So you could leave and live a life that she wanted for you. I know it hurts.. But everyone looses things and people they care about.. I know... But you'll get over It.. You're free now... And you still have your life in front of you.." The cat used a wing to brush back Maru's bangs.. Revealing two dark red and teary eyes..  
"Togasha's my father.. He's the one who's been sending those creatures.. He's responsible for Suna's death, Klai.. And I know he'll do more.." Maru's voice was a whisper.. Either from emotion or because she was clenching her teeth Klai couldn't really tell.. "And he may. But you've got to beat him to it Maru.. You're the Guardian for a reason, Maru.." "I WAS the guardian.. It doesn't matter anymore.. And neither does that name! It means nothing.."  
Klai sighed.. "I'm going to Togasha.. I'll try to get what info. I can from him.." She straightened her 'shoulders' and retracted her wings.. But Maru blinked.. "No. Klai you're an idiot.. I'll.."  
/But please don't give up on me.  
I promise I'll make you see.  
Why I've got to fight this way..  
Why here I just can't stay../  
But the cat lifted herself to the ceiling.. "Maybe you're right.. But Suna was even more right.. 'She deserves a life Togasha.." Black eyes blinked.. Then she smiled.. "Take care Guardian. I'll be fine. It's simple information, not a battle." Then she dove out the window with a wide-eyed Maru going after her.. The girl followed until the cat flew easily over a ward on the outside of the temple but Maru was thrown backwards.. She'd ignored the feeling along her spine that warned her of things like that.. But she ignored it for several more moments.. Still feeling the energy pulsing on her neck and in front of her.. But it didn't matter... Even as the energy danced in front of her.. Klai was flying off.. But everything didn't mater.. None of it did.. Maru suddenly felt small and insignificant.. Like she didn't matter..  
/I know you've got to leave Me..  
But please don't let this be the true reality..  
Please just let me say to you...  
That I've got a long way to go-and that's all true..  
But I need you there to guide me, laugh at me, and tell me its okay..  
Because without someone there..../  
But the fact that there was something in front of her that she couldn't get past, the fact that everything had fallen away except the pulsing in her head... She struck out, not paying attention to anything.. Only to the fading presence of reality.. Everything ached and burned.. But it didn't matter..  
/I can't get anywhere.  
I'm weak and strong,  
Right and wrong..  
But I can't let you see me like this-no way.  
Crying and dying because I can't hear what you say../ She pushed against It.. The gem on her glove glowing with a crimson color.. But the ward instantly activated even more as it struck against the energy seeping there.. And Maru felt everything with in her burn and begin to be torn by the mixed forces.. Almost as if two things pulsed in her veins and her heart and mind were trying, searching, testing for the right one-while her body was caught in the crossfire..  
/ So I'll keep my word to you.  
I'm never gonna loose my sight.  
I'm never gonna stop this fight.  
So much has changed,  
But I won't get rearranged..  
Because, I'll keep my word to you. /  
Genkai seemed to watch the struggle with a calm look.. She could tell what was happening with in Maru right now.. It had happened with several half-breeds before.. And was now. Her bloods were reacting differently to the two different wards and Maru's body couldn't decide which form of energy to draw on.. The wolf-clan was known to use more self based styles of fighting and living for that matter.. But the Dragons depended strictly on their power-not their own specialties.. Sure one or two would become known for certain things. But the wolves had always been a clan for individuality... Which was why the clans usually fought..  
Maru's eyes were glowing.. A battle ground for the two colors.. Red and gold.. Her body shuddered and ached with every fiber.. But she held on and continued to push against the ward.. Causing the one on her neck to redouble its efforts to keep whatever energy she had inside her.. Though how much longer could she keep this up? //As if pain wasn't enough she pushing out too much energy..// Genkai thought narrowed her eyes against the now brighter crimson glow.. The red and golden light forming a crackling dome..  
Close by Hiei watched the scene with mild interest, as long as Yukina wasn't caught in the 'light show'. But Maru seemed to be more focused on forcing the energy out of her toward the wall before her.. Then a deep- throated growl rose, barely noticeable above the constant cracks and pops of the coursing power.. Then the growl rose to more like a faint roar.. Maru opened her mouth and two fangs flashed but she retained her basic human form.. Then it came..  
At first it was a faint pulsing along her shoulders.. Then it exploded into pain as Maru fought against a bone racking scream.. But she couldn't see what was happening.. But her blind, light bright eyes couldn't hide the fact that she sensed a feeling begin in her back.. The shirt ripped neatly as the two black slashes across her back split and two black wings appeared.. But Maru seemed to understand that it was nothing she could stop because she didn't try.. Instead she reached to her neck with both hands and calmly tore away the seal as it burst into flames.. Her eyes didn't dim for a moment as the wings turned out to be about 4-5 feet long, a glistening black color as they unfolded and began pulsing..  
But Genkai's eyes remained the same and she sighed.. "The Dragon won.. Too bad." She crossed her arms behind her back and watched as the energy seemed to flicker then the gold and crimson colored dome disappeared.. Leaving a panting and shaking Maru on her knees with her wings drooping over her back.. But what kept Genkai and Hiei for that matter where they had been was the fact that Maru's eyes were still glowing the same bright color..  
//Stop.. God stop It.. It burns.. *growl* Make it stop.. // Maru thought panting harder-her eyes to her nothing but black pits of the burning pain now that her wings had cooled and seemingly normal.. Yet, it was like an extension of herself..  
Genkai stiffly walked to the girl's left side, eyeing her carefully.. Maru only tried to look to where she had heard the human's movements but had to wait as her eyes cooled slowly.. Then with a blink-they shined red with now flecks of a liquid black.. "You had better learn to use those if you're going after Togasha." The old and somewhat 'gravely' voice said plainly..  
Maru only offered another growl.. Warning and weak in content and sound.. But it had to be enough.. Because she had little other defenses left.. Yet she glared with her eyes, trying to get her breathing back in order.. But the pain that coursed through her was far from easy to cope with at that moment.. Almost like a fire that constantly burned and raged in her.. Yet it worse, much worse..  
"That burning won't go away for several more hours. I suggest you try to get some rest before school." Genkai added with an almost warming tone in her voice.. But that was enough to make Maru try to speak against It.. Though she accomplished little other then a few forms shaking coughs.. "You need help?"  
Maru immediately tried to stand and succeeded for a few shaky moments, then her wings seemed to suddenly gain weight and she had to retract them.. Growling in pain and frustration.. But she made her way to her room, and laid down, weak and burning up all over.. No doubt scoring a fever record. But she growled when anyone walked to her door. She would be certain to do everything in her power to keep them away.. She just wasn't sure as to what might happen.. Then she looked at her glove.. The stone was pulsing a golden color.. It was faint and surrounded by dark red and black.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````  
  
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!! !!!!!!!!!! My god it's.. 4am and I'm tired.. No if ands or buts I'm done.. Review.. Please.. I would say more but my contacts are drying up.. Ja Ne.. 


	12. 150 degree secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 12: 150 degrees secret :: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Maru looked at her reflection for the umpteenth time that day.. Sighing and thankful that her wings could be hidden by simply using her ki.. Go figure. She had set her mind to work on how to use the scale black wings though she had little info on where to start.. Ten again, it had been the same with her wolf form.. A bit simpler but what the heck surely this couldn't be any different.. Just trial and error-lots of errors, But what about Klai? Was she okay? How did she plan on getting Togasha to talk? Not by using her 'human' form.. After all it was only a 6-year-old girl in basic shape.. Not much to work with there..  
Maru walked back to the cafeteria and sat down, not bothering to get anything to eat. She'd been used to having a few meals a week but these three times a day thing was bothersome. Besides who needed to eat that much? Suna had only had one to two a day-Maru had chosen to train and stay in constant motion, and her stomach had shrunk to fit.  
"Not feeling well?" Joshii asked sitting down. Maru only nodded, her chin resting on the table and her eyes the same dull red color.. "Want to talk about it?" He asked, nudging her shoulder in an attempt to get her up.. No such luck however.  
Maru seemed dead set on ignoring the rest of humanity for at least another 24 hours. Which needless to say she could probably do that very well.. So he finally crossed his arms and leaned on the table, trying to get a good look at her eyes.. "You don't look that well but I don't think that's that only thing wrong."  
"Nah dip Sherlock.." Maru muttered, looking away.. She knew her temperature alone would get her sent to the office.. She had blown up an electric thermometer this morning since she had done something to It.. Maybe it wasn't meant to take a temperature that was rising that quickly.  
She felt the hair rise along the nape of her neck as he reached over to try to feel her forehead.. She immediately tried to pull back-Too late.. The cool hand connected with the burning flesh and he let his jaw drop.. "Maru, come on I'm going to get you up front.. That's well over a hundred." "I know.. That blasted ningen thing blew up at 150.." She muttered letting a bead of sweat fall down her face. The burning and pain hadn't ceased, and this was the product. Her body was confused and reacting against the different blood types.. Normal beings would have burned away to nothing by now but here she was in school, talking, and still awake for the most part..  
"One.. One-fifty?" Joshii asked wide-eyed. But he chose to redouble (sorry I like that word.. 'Don't know why..) His efforts to help her stand. Which he soon saw she needed no help with. He let his eyes stray over her full face and chest, noting her breathing was quick and shallow, eyes dull and glazed over, and her temple was throbbing-probably from the high paced pulse. "How long have you been feeling like this?" He asked trying to turn her toward the door. Yet he soon learned there was more driving her then simple will power. She was a lot stronger then he'd give most high school girls credit for.  
"Doesn't matter-I'm fine.." Maru muttered. Pulling back again away from the door.. "No you're not. Maru what's wrong?" She cast her eyes over his for one moment-not able to concentrate then she looked to the hallway and thanked heavens it was empty.. She nodded to it and they walked out. Once out side she turned on the doorknob and melted it closed, with just a flick of her hand. Joshii gawked.. "Wait. You said a 'ningen' thing.. You're not human are you."  
Maru shook her head and fell back against the cool cement black wall.. Then slid to the floor. It was getting hotter.. God almighty it was getting worse. "No.. But listen.. I need to get to the roof right now.. I've got something to let out and if I don't I swear I'll burst into flames.." He looked confused but then hardened his eyes and nodded. "Then I think you'd better explain a few things." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````  
Maru stepped out onto the roof, thankful it was cooler then usual.. A quick look at Joshii and he got the idea.. Stay back. Maru walked forward a good ten feet and took off the horrible blue blouse, leaving her in a skirt and a black tank-top.. Good thing she had picked today to plan ahead. Then after a few moments of focusing as well as she could the gem on her glove glowed a black color and then her wings appeared.. A film a blood covering them.. Maru instantly felt the heat and pain rekindle with renewed strength in her. She whimpered but fell to a crouching position and panted.. Dizzy and sick..  
Joshii literally ignored the wings and appeared beside her.. "You're still burning up." "Some of its natural.. Just go back inside. I'm going to try to get out of here and get back to where I belong.." Maru said growling inhumanly.. "Are you crazy? You'd never make it like you are." "And I'd never make it holding these things in and walking down a street either." Maru still had her tongue about her.. He fell silent and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me something. You sure you're not human?" He grinned. Maru cursed. How ON EARTH could he smile at a time like this?! The baka. "Yeah." "Fine. I'll see ya' round." Maru turned away.. Then blinked. "What?!" She looked at him.. And saw nothing.. //Uh.................... // *blink blink* "I.. Don't wanna know.." She said rolling her eyes and sighed, time to take the wings for a test drive. Oh boy this was going to be 'fun'.. //At least I don't have to use my ki to hise them though..// ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````` Maru sat there, on the steps. Her eyes were half lidded and her heart was racing. "I can't believe I made it that time. Phew!" She sighed and whipped her brow, standing up shakily and glancing at her back-no wings. //That's a relief. Thought I was a goner for sure. //  
"Maru, I take you lost control." Genkai said suddenly appearing. Maru growled. //How does that old hag know the EXACT time to show up??!!! // "Yeah, no one was hurt though." "Well, you had better be hoping for a miracle if you plan on keeping this up." "No such thing." "Hm?" "I said, there's no such things as miracles." Maru responded harshly as she stood up, fists at her sides. "And what makes you think that?" Genkai seemed amused, at least in a general manner. Maru however wasn't very amused. In fact she was dead serious. "Because.. I've seen lot's of dead 'beings'.. But no miracles.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
"So where did she go?" Yusuke asked, looking at Maru, dead in the eyes. "I mean, you'd think she got lost or something here." Maru however snorted. "She wouldn't 'get lost'." "Okay, then where is she?"  
"That's easy... None of your concern." Maru said simply, noting that Kuwabara now seemed interested in the ordeal. "You mean that cat thing right? So how do you two know each other anyway?" The Guardian rolled her eyes and cotinued the walk 'home' in a silence for a few moments. Then just as the two boys seemed to have lost intrest in it.. She spoke in the steady voice, her face not in view since she was a few feet ahead of them. "She was at the Temple Grounds because The Keeper and The guardian need to keep in constant touch at all times."  
"So she was like an errand runner?" Yusuke asked, trying to get it into simpler terms. "Yes, in a way." Maru answered simply.. Still in that same cold voice..  
"So how come she wasn't there that night?" Kuwabara asked suddenly. It seemed to have just come into view in his head that Klai hadn't been present when they first saw Maru.  
"Suna must have had her doing something. She knows how to stop small time intruders with illusions and tricks.. She is a cat after all." Maru spoke as if it were all well thought over and simple.. Almost like she had run the facts through her own head countless times before.  
"Then how come she's gone now?" Yusuke it seemed, was serious and hadn't left that topic.. Which made Maru wonder what was running through his head.. "You said she wasn't lost. Okay so where is she?"  
Maru turned her head and looked at him. "She.. She went to go 'visit' the person who's sending those stupid wolves.." "Visit?"  
"Well yeah.. Anyone from the Ango temple is granted free movement through lands.. My problem is I'm not sure if T.. My... Er... The guy.. Will let that be.." Maru stumbled several times for the correct words to describe the 'guy'. But finally hit a bull's eye. "So why would he do that?" Kuwabara of course was being as slow as ever.. A real pain needless to say. "Because baka, he may try to use her!" Maru lashed out verbally, spinning around and looking at the named person.. Her eyes for a few moments seemed to flare.. But the light faded back to the dull red and she sighed and shook her head. She ignored the two boys who were currently frozen.. One in fear the other in surprise. "Sorry.. I. Just lost my temper.. That's all.." Then she turned around and began to walk off..  
Yusuke blinked, recovering.. something was up.. Maru was more afraid of this guy and for klai then she was letting on.. But stleast she had kept reign on her energy and kept her wings hidden.. "So go after her."  
Maru halted.. Ears twitching.. "Nani?" She turned around, eyes wide and that faint hit of gold there.. The wolf was awake.. "We'll help." Yusuke said smirking.. He was being the nice guy..  
The Guardian blinked a few times. The facts and words were going through her head as usual.. Then her eyes seemed to fighting within themselves.. Red and gold flashing brightly.. "You'd.. Do.. Do that?" She asked..  
"Yeah." Sure." "Gotta go find Kurama and Hiei but they'll help." Then for the second time in the time she'd known them.. Maru smiled.. Not a scowl or anything fang-filled.. A true smile.. "Thanks.. I've gotta go get my blades and then I'll be ready.." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Genkai couldn't help but give a small smile.. Maru's eyes had told her all the things she had needed to know. //There is a chance then..// Truth be told she had been dissapionted that Maru had allowed the darker and dragon side of her to take over.. Dragon's were powerful, but they lost all conections in life. The perfect weapon and often drivin only by the desire to kill and distroy.. The wolves however went out of their way to maintain a villiage or pack.. And had retained many of the older ways and the now rare ability to care for other creatures.. But it would be impossible for Maru to balance the two bloods equally. Instead there had come a time that one had to 'over come' the other.. And that had been triggered by the two different wards.. Now her emotions over her friend had one again allowed the wolf blood to gain 'ground'.  
Often things like this would last throughout a half-breeds life.. Or in the end kill them. But some had been known to drive the opposite qualities to deep within themselves-thus sealing it. Perhaps Maru could do the same. If not.. The dragon would control her and she may even turn herslef to Togasha as a source of power..  
"Genkai-san.. Where is Maru going?" Yukina asked smiling and walking in the room. "She's going after Klai.." "Oh.. Is something wrong with the Neko?" "Nothing now that Maru has a hand in it.. Nothing.." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
OOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAY!!!! Just to anoounce.. I HAVE NOT FORGOTTEN there is to be romance.. Nothing lemon for all the pervs.. Just light and maybe hints of what could come later.. I will not say the couple. But if you haven't atleast guessed take a shot at it. IT IS NOT YUSUKE, or any other human there. Thank-you and now that that's clear I realize now that the story had been Maru baised. Well a warning to everyone I do that alot.. I'll try to stere clear of a pure Maru chapter and truth be told I'm very bad about that. However.. (don't skip this annoucement. Keep reading. THIS MEANS YOU WITH THE MOUSE MOVING!) I came up with a little something that'll turn the tables a bit. There will be light romance but not until the characters get.. ER... uh... Aware of the whole thing. Which will take a while.. If you know who the guy is going to be you'll understand why i'm saying this. Of course we all know Maru won't have much patience when it comes to dating.. *shudders*  
Anywho this story seems to be picking back up.. And just when i had guessed another 2 chaptes to finish it.. Ugh.. Oh well for your enjoyment we're going into over time!! (Turns cap around backwards and cracks knuckles.) Let's get this baby started!  
Because. I've never seen anything like a miracle. But I've seen my share of dead people and demons." Maru said it simply and plainly. Which was answered by a slight smile on the old one's face.. One which reminded her strongly of Suna.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````` Okay, kinda short I know.. But I've got softball and soccer practice.. Ugh nothing like a sunny afternoon.. 


	13. Project Rescue Kitty Cat

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 13: Project Rescue Kiity Cat  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Who ever said finding a way to find Hiei was wrong.. DEAD wrong.. Maru grumbled even more as she sat perched ontop of a pine tree.. Looking for the named demon.. It would figure the single time you NEED the guy you can't find him. "I swear. At least on the ground he's not hard to find. Then again wearing black 24/7 and not talking doesn't help looking for the Bakayara." "Who are YOU talking about?"... Oh shit.. //Well.. I found him at least didn't I?// ::YUSUKE! GET YOUR ASS HERE NOW!:: Maru screamed mentally before calmly severing the link and turning to face the named 'bakayara'. "And who do you think I'm looking for in a tree near sunset?" She asked in the normal tone and she stood up.. Red-gold eyes flashing brightly as she felt the pulsing at her shoulders begin to bother her.. Why now? The wings had stopped being all together a few hours ago.. Now it was like a deep ember was burning it's way outward.. But she shrugged it away and got ready to give Yusuke another S.O.S.  
Hiei either muttered something under his breath, or deemed the whole thing worthless and chose to ignore her.. Because she didn't hear another word out of him as she jumped and sure enough he followed. He must have guessed something was up..  
"Maru! You found him!" Yusuke yelled running up, he stopped about two feet to the right of Maru.. His eyes smiling about as much as his grinning mouth was.. Which was A LOT.  
"Another missions from the little fool?" Hiei grunted, narrowing his eyes in what Maru called, 'better spirits then usual'. "No, special assignment." Botan said cheerfully diving into view from above.. Maru just about had a heart attack.. "WHY in the world do you do that?!" The guardian asked wide-eyed and glarring all at once. "She likes niosy entrances." Yusuke said still grinning good naturedly.. Maru locked eyes for a brief moment with Kurama, nodding a thanks, then simply looked past Kuwabara.. But not without a slight smile.. Though it seemed to crack into a smirk half-way... Oh well, can't be perfect, ne? ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
"So how do we get there?" Kuwabara asked, glancing at Maru. She of course had the answers. "Well, we're just at the edge of the grounds now. We'll have to take the long way about half-way around them to get to the dragon clan's area." "Why can't we cut through the Temple Grounds?" Yusuke asked.. Anything to make it cut less time out of a weekend.. "Simple. I can't get through the barrier and exit out again. Not unless I have another form to pull out of my sleeve." Kuwabara looked at her 'sleeveless' black happi coat.. "You don't have sleeves."  
"No kidding." Maru said rolling her eyes, still looking a bit happier then before. She was wearing her red happi coat, (the short one) a white sash, white borders on the coat, and baggy black chinese styled pants with white cuffs. Her andals were the usual red color and leather. "But in any case we'd be less likely to attract attention coming from the west then from the Grounds.. since no one's supposed to be there that can come out."  
"So we're going to 'rescue' the cat?" Hiei asked, his eyes on Maru. In truth it was odd to have to actually look downward slightly to talk to someone.. Since Maru was of course about an inch or maybe an inch and a half shorter then he was. Maru however seemed completely unphased and answered promptly with her still hard to get used to smile. "Yes, and the 'cat' does have a name. Besides that has a funny ring to it.. Project 'Rescue Kitty Cat'." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
They'd been walking for a little over two hours.. When for some ungodly reason laughter seemed to surround them.. Not anything evil or mean.. More like a child's laughing.. Maru however froze instantly.. Eyes wide and searching.. "Tsuki! Hold up!!"(pronounced s-oo-key) "No Kly (pronounced cl-A) You gotta catch me!!" The first voice was a boys.. Older maybe tens.. The second a small girl by the sound of it.. Though much younger. "Great... Kids.." Maru groaned looking not so happy now.. Yusuke blinked and continued to look around them.. Though nothing but the path, trees, and a shrub here or there.. "Where?" Kurama looked around ten focused his eyes to his right. "There." Maru followed suit then seemed to vanish in gold sparks again.. Kuwabara did a double take.. "And she complains about Botan? Atleast you can see her.." Then barely visible a small gray-green wolf cub ran into view.. It moved along the ground in a rapid blur o paws and fuffly fur.. It was a bout 2 feet long.. If that much and barely a foot tall at the shoulders.. But it was moving over the moss and little grasses at a break neck spead, not noticing them because it was laughin and had it's eyes closed. It was the girl's voice but with the wolve's mouth moving and that bother Kuwabara a bit..  
Then out flew a second several feet behind the first. This one was a good 2 feet and some odd inches inches larger on the measurements and moved a bit more in a controlled manner.. As if it were older. Long white fangs and black claws were noteable through darker grey fur and a white underbelly, chin, a tail tip, and paws. The laughter was a boy's this time.. Both were running and wouldn't have noticed anything besides their own game since they'd pass the group several feet to the right.. Alas.. A sudden flash of golden sparks a few feet above the larger wolf and a blur of white fur, and gray fur collided and tummbled to the ground.. Snarling and growling followed.. The smaller cub skidded to a halt, ignored the 'group' and bolted to her brother's side..  
Maru and the male parted.. Neither marked.. But both pairs of jaws were snarling and their eyes flashing.. Maru's a golden color and the Male's a blue brown almost. But Maru was a bit larger though not by much. They each appeared about equally angry and ticked.. Though the cub only reeled and pointed her nose to Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara and Hiei and snarled to.. As if she was going to hold them back..  
Then just as suddenly as the two larger wolves and bristeled.. The fur settled smoothly, the claws retracted, and the jaws closed calmly.. Both stood erect.. Sizing up the other. But Maru snorted. "Don't worry about the small one. She couldn't pierce a leaf with her milk teeth."  
The 'small one' seemed to take this as a rather bad insult and launched herslef toward Maru.. Only to be tossed bakc calmly on a bush.. "Stand down Tsuki." The male had knocked the cun away with his right paw.. The side that was facing the group and the small 'girl'.  
"Why? That big jerk just knocked you over! Why don't you kill her already! She's not supposed to be here anyways!" Tsuki ruffled up even more and growled comicly.. But Kuwabara only blinked and shuddered.. //I hate dogs..//  
Kly only twitched his ears at Maru. "My sister had a point. Why are you here?" His voice was deep.. Much too deep for the laugh they'd heard..  
"We're passing through." Maru answered simply turning to them.. Levaing her side wide open for the male to attack.. Which Hiei thought was rather dumb.. But the gray wolf didn't do anything. He only trotted to his sister and picked her up by the scruff of the neck. He looked long and hard at Maru. "We'll tell the Elders of your presense. So don't bother trying to leave before sun down." He growled more at the demons and humans rather then Maru.. Then he left..  
Maru did her vanishing act and appeared closer to Hiei in her normal form. "Sorry about that." "Okay.. What just happened?!" Yusuke asked wide- eyed and angry. "Yes, why did you attack?" Kurama seemed to look at Maru a bit more like she was a puzzle rather then a girl. Kuwabara was speeechless, and Hiei only looked mildly concerned.  
"Simple. I greeted him like any wolf should. Guard up and looking for a challenge until I showed him I ment no harm." Maru said simply, recieving not so simple looks. "A wolf is always going to act as if another wolf is laying in ambush. The cub did and turned to you four. Kly however acted on instinct and focused on what he deemed the the most dangerouse threat." "Oh..." Yusuke responded.. Looking sumped. Kurama seemed to to 'get it'. Kuwabara murmured something about dogs, and Hiei rolled his eyes, "That's the dumbest.." "Let me guess, the dumbest most irrational thing you've ever heard of?" Maru said crossing her arms across her chest. She smiled though, her eyes more golden now..  
"Hn." //That again? Give me a break!// Maru just shrugged then turned to the majority of the group. "Well, the scouts'll be here soon enough." She said sitting down a large tree root that looked oddly like a stump. But she saw the question about to come and answered it ahead of time. "A scout is a.. Sort of like a soldier of sorts for the clan. The wolf clan uses there's more for finding intruders and such. Just precations.. Doubt we'll even have to see the main villiage since we're going along the rim of the land.."  
"Is that what you're guessing?" Hiei asked with a disgusted tone. Maru picked up on it with in a nano second of the words being spoken. "Yes. As a matter of fact, I know that because I'm a half wolf baka. They won't bother with us much at all." Maru said leaning against the main tree trink and not failing to meet Hiei's glare.  
Needless to say it was rather tense for the few hours they were left alone..````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````  
Maru breathed unevenly as she dozed.. Aware that the others were doing the same.. Best save strength for what-ever was coming after all.. But there was still that alarmingly calm attmosphere.. Too quiet for the Makai for sure. Then again with the wolves in constant movement most threats wouldn't come anywhere near here..  
Then a faint scent came then was shortly followed by three wolves walking into sight.. A black one, a golden brown colored one, and in the center of the two an older white one.. The outer two were males.. Both larger then than herslef by far.. The white one smaller.. Though what bothered her was the fact that this was probably one of the female elders..  
  
Kurama was already awake, as was Hiei. Kuwabara and yusuke were both sawing logs. Though Yusuke woke up a few seconds later.. Kuwabara kept snorring..  
Maru did her vanishing act and reappeared in her wolf form.. saving time then it would transforming in the single dimension. Her white fur bristeled along her spine and all the way to the tips of her two tails.. But she stood there, only a few feet closer to the advancing forms then Hiei.. But slightly unsettled in appearence.  
"I am to presume you're the wolf who aproached Kly Oana?" The white wolf asked, old gray eyes thin and narrow. Her right fang was turning more toreward the inside of her mouth.. Almost as if it had been turned years before and now worked as a hook.. She seemed more feeble in the dim light.. And by the purple stone in a silver collar of sorts she was impirtant here. The other two were males.. In their prime and both looked bland and ready to attack at the twin tailed Guardian.. Though there was a hint of fear in both pairs of eyes.. Maru sank lower to the ground, paws flashing black claws help ready and her fangs bared..  
Hiei noticed that Maru was trying to make the 'scouts' or the male wolves back down.. Since both had yet to even do more then glare at her. He had seen wolves before.. But not this big.. They easily beat Maru in size since she was around 6ft in lenth and they were around seven maybe even eight. In hieght she stood about 4-5ft tall.. They were around 6-7.. "Who do you think you are?" The black male asked, snarling and flashing dark blue eyes.. "Stand down wench!" Maru easily could have struck out then and there but held her rage at bay.. But her eyes flashed coldly as the brown one lowered his ears.. He didn't seem as fool hardy as the black though he would probably join in a match in his favor.. A coward..  
"Koshu! Enough, leave your insults for the alphas. These people are our guests. And the young female could easily put ou in your place. Or the fire demon and the fox. As for the slumbering ones perhaps they have hidden things as well." The old wolf chuckled with a slight growl at the younger wolf.. Who promptly lowered his black ears and steped back.. But still throwing glares at Maru..  
"Now, what is it you are here for?" The old one asked.. Ignoing the males beside her.  
Hiei looked both smug and unsettled.. As if the old wolf's words had struck home.. Calming him before he had ripped the canine's throat out himself..  
"I told the cub and her brother." Maru said simply. Not recalling her own fangs and claws for a moment.. "Then tell me why." The old one pushed..  
  
"Look we're passing through on order's from Ko-Enma." Yusuke answered, suddenly growing a bit ticked at the snarling dark wolf behind the old one's flank.. Then he continued. "But I don't think we need to mess with the puppy pound."  
Bad move.. Both males instantly lunged foreward but didn't have the chance to get more then a full five feet.. Maru tackled the black one and had her claws to his throat while Hiei easily had his sword to the brown's throat. Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama were poised and ready.. All 5 had their eyes locked on the two wolves..  
Maru gave a low growl.. Low enough so that she didn't have to move but it got the point across to the black.. Don't move or die.. "Leave the old one here, or you'll go back to you're villiage less a male then before and that's a promise." Maru said raking her claws gently across the black's muzzle.. He didn't even flinch..  
The brown had his tail between his legs and was on his back.. Blade to his throat and Hiei looking VERY dangerouse.. The elder nodded. "Both of you, leave us. I'll return in an hour." The white wolf said gently..  
The two did so, gladly.. But Maru didn't let her guard down.. Which the elder noticed.. "You've been training haven't you Maruka?" It was said with a slight chuckle..  
"Maruka?" Kuwabara was guess what.. Clueless! "That would be her real name, correct?" Maru only honored in with a slight nodd and she sat, her legs stiff and springy.. "And you're traveling to the dragon's land?" Another nodd this time from nearly everyone.  
The elder sighed then let her eyes fall on Maru. "Sarania is in you.. I can see it in your eyes Maru.. Though your father is there as well.. That deep and angry look tells me that." She smiled, right fang glinting. "You seemed to have kept the dragon blood at bay for now."  
"I don't want to speak about it. Now say what you've gotta say then leave." Maru was straight foreward to a point then she began to get angry.. And Yusuke noted that her fur couldn't hide the fact she was twitching in anger...  
"Very well. You may pass but I must ask you to meet Kly and Tsuki near the Tetsuju River.. You know where it is correct Maruka?" The elder asked begining to turn away.. A yes followed her. Then she faded away as silently as she had come.  
It was several moments before Maru could even feel herself breathe.. Much less regain enough sense about her to change back.. //Then again I'll stay like this for tonight.. Maybe nothing else will sneak up on us.. //  
She turned to the four and was greeted by two confused faces, one questioning face, and one that was a mixture of the two along with anger.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````` Natalie- THANKS YOU AGAIN! I'll try to remember what you said.. Sorry I was a bit off track as I said before.  
  
Yaiko(I think that's how you spell it)- Thanks for the review! It matters greatly how many of these O get though as someone already proved, quantity is less valuable then quality. 


	14. What Do I Have?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 14: What do I have?  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
/Why is today so dim? Why are we hating this way?  
You'd think we'd learn after all we've been through.  
But maybe it'll take one of those days./  
Maru sighed. The game of question and answer had only started.. But already the few she'd answered prior to all this had taxed her strength both physically and emotionally. But no she wasn't done.. Nothing was wrong.  
"Look maybe you should tell us what happened from the start." Yusuke suggensted.. Was there care or worry in his voice? No her ears must have been playing tricks on her.. But his idea was at least something to start on. //But it won't be that easy.. I'll have to tell them about the vision, the texts, Suna, everyting.. //  
"Alright, now from the begining." That's easy.. "I'm a product of a mating.. Simple as that." "Mating?" Maru sighed, eyes narrowing as she pushed herself up off the ground and she stood there, shaking but barely.. Her temp. was rising again.. The wolf side was loosing control again.. "It's simple. My 'parents' had sex then fell away from each other.. My mother died and sent me to live with my father. He in turn wanted me to just vanish.. He said that if the wretch who gave birth to me were still alive it'd be different.. Atleast.. So he said. Sune tried to convince him to let me stay with someone in one of the clans. But he wouldn't listen. My mother had wanted for me to have a life. To live and simply be kept away from the hell that surrounded the clans."  
/One of the days where we can see  
The pain we cause and the things we do  
But what if that's not ebough..  
Not enough for them to get a clue?/ "Suna decided then and there she'd allow me to leave and pay for it with her life.. She didn't want me to have 'a life of death'... That's why she sent me after you that night.. So I could escape when the temple went down. She didn't count on Klai finding me, or on the barrier not falling. Everything fell into place.. Except for one thing.." Maru paused.. Her paws seemed unsteady-though surely strong enough to hold her for now.  
"She, nor Togasha counted on me recalling the infant memories after Suna died. I think that the bloods in me somehow caused memories from that age to come out again and replay themselves.. That's when Klai knew she would have to go to Togasha and try to convince him to leave me alone.. Or else going through the fights and over these lands could trigger the wolf and dragon sides to try to eliminate the other.." Maru sighed and closed her eyes.. "But he won't listen.. If he can send my death once.. He'll do it again easily.. And as for the wolves.. There's only a small chance that they didn't notice the dragon's scent all over me.. That'll set them off for sure.."  
"So the two clans, they're fighting?" Kurama asked. He'd heard of it before. Then again that was several years ago. But the Guardian guessed his train of thought. "Yes.. They're still as thristy for the other's blood as before.. I just hope it doesn't escalate while we're here for many reasons.."  
"One being that your blood will react and try to take sides?" Hiei caught on quickly.. And a nodd answered him..  
/So why are these days so hate filled?  
Why do we have to see children killed?  
Is it because of our histories? Or is it because we can't solve the mysteries?/  
"We had better rest.. We'll have a long walk to cover." Maru said stiffly walking over to the tree trunk again and dropping down into a heap.. "So Klai... What is she?" Yusuke asked yawning.. "A little girl.." Maru paused.. "A little girl who keeps her word too well.." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
/Oh but you gotta remember  
That no matter what happens we can't surrender.  
Because we've got the worl to show  
How to make love and care grow./  
That deep feeling like something was burning in her.. Almost as if she were being torn apart by a heated hand or blade.. Then that voice came. It was deep, booming, and hurt her wolf ears.. She instantly got on her paws as her breath increased suddenly.. But that bone cracking pain increased.. "Maru! You had better give it back to me!"  
"What do you want?!" She yelled into the darkness. Her lips were drawn back and her fangs and claws flashing..  
"You took it! Now give it back! You'll be just like the legend! Give it back!" Maru looked around, angery and bewildered in her eyes and on her wolf face.. Then she felt the ground fall away and she struggled against something that was coiling around her now human bady.. Was it vines? Ropes? She couldn't tell.. But it grew tighter and it burned at her skin as it wound its way tighter around her waist and over her arms.. Tighter and tighter.. Then the heat flared suddenly within her.. And she screamed.. Her right hand began to smoke and burn and she couldn't do anything. So she opened her mouth and let out a blood kirtling shriek.. But only laughter followed.. "You'll give it back to me! Or you'll kill me like in the stories! So you're going to die!!!"  
"What.. Stories? What do I have?! Let me go what do I have?!" The thing around her tightened even more until she felt her bones begin the crack in protest as she screamed, this time more inwardly then outward.. But what ever it was seemed to take pleasure in her pain.. It suddenly exploded into spikes.. Long spikes suddenly pierce every inch of her and she let out one last scream...  
/And it's all gonna end here and now. Unless we can show them how  
To stop the killing  
And to stop all this blood spilling./ ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````` Duh duh doonn.... Another dream... HMMMMMMMMMMMMM....... Anyway this story's gonna be goin' on longer now so review away!!!! 


	15. Peace And Mates

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 15: Peace and Mates  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
"MARU! Dammit wake up!"  
The heat filled her and she felt like she was about to explode.. But she opened her eyes, taking in the sunlight and the worried faces.. Crimson orbs even looked concerned. But the pain wasn't gone.. It pulsed through her with every thought and heart beat. Yet she felt a wieght in her chest.. Breathe.. Breath.. She opened her mouth and inhaled deeply.. The air rushed in and out for a few moments as she tried to take in her surroundings. She was covered in sweat and in her 'human' form. Hiei was the one that must have had enough of her screaming and shaken her and yelled.. Kurama looked concerned while Yusuke and Kuwabara looked confused and shocked.  
"What happened?" Yusuke found his voice and put a hand on her shoulder.. The red happi coat was thin enough where everyone present could see her panting and her heat beat. The Guardian however seemed out of breath and her body shook. Yet some how she focused enough to grasp her voice.. "It.. Was.. Only a dream.. Just scared.. The hell outta me.." Maru said trying to get up, but she failed mosstly because she had barely gained her feet before Yusuke pushed her right back down on her butt. "What happened?" This time it was bit more serious.. And demanding..  
"He wanted something.. He wanted me to give him something.. He kept saying 'in the stories' or 'like the legends'.. He wouldn't talk sense.. Then something was holding me.. It exploded into spikes and that's when I woke up.." Maru said finishing with a tone nearly as forceful as Yusuke's had been.. Though her voice was shaking.  
"What legends could he have been talking about?" The raven haired teen asked, brown eyes now looking at Kurama, and his hand not moving an inch from Maru's shoulder. Of course the Guardian didn't even bother to move much less try to stand.  
But the red head only shook his head. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
  
Maru padded along silently, listening to the random conversation. Though nothing she really heard was interesting. Just stuff about school, odd and end people, Kieko was a hot topic when it came to teazing Yusuke, and Yukina for Kuwabara and secretly Hiei as well. This interested Maru we enough where she went over the fact that she'd scented something similiar between them before.. Were they siblings? She rolled the idea around and twitched her white-black rimmed ears as she settled on the idea. //Sounds about right.. Though they're different. But she didn't treat him like a brother. And he well was a stick in the mud as usual.// Then she calmly began argueing with herself. //He's not a stick in the mud. He just, likes his peace.// //Uh huh, LOTS of peace..// The wolf smiled, her fangs glinting about as well as her eyes in the morning light. She trotted over the smooth paths easily enough but a wolf's lope was constantly faster then a normal walk and could last nearly 3 times as long.. So she stopped and tried to scent their position A LOT.  
"So that old wolf, where'd she want us to stop?" Yusuke asked. He was in all truths wanting to take a break but disguised it well enough. Maru smirked. She wouldn't bother telling him it was still about 2 miles away.. "Oh at Kly' and that bratty sister of his." "Why there?" Kuwabara was as usual-clueless.  
"Because personally I have a bit of unfinished business with that high and mighty male and she wants him to get as much info out of is as possible."  
"How do you know that?" Hiei asked, arching an eyebrow. "Because, her mind works the same as Suna's. Let a young one do the work for you." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
It was nearly the same senerio again.. Laughing then the smallest wolf ran into view.. Gray green fur flying. But this time she was coming from sraight in front of them.. And heading to them on a dead set collision course. Maru saw her and sank out of view.. No golden sparks this time to attract attention.  
The little one slid to a stop in front of them and tumbled onto her back from the sudden stop and the fact she'd slid straight into Kurama's legs.. She blinked and got up, nose twitching and tail wagging and hitting her flanks with dull thumps.. Her bright green eyes were even laughing as was her voice. "Hello! Hermano should be here in a minute!"  
"That's his name?" Yusuke laughed and chuckled until Kurama cut in, "No, that's Spanish for 'brother'." The cub giggled and nodded, then she stopped and her eyes went over each in turn. "Hey.. Where's that one bruja?" Kuwabara looked at Kurama for a translation. "Witch."  
The named 'person' had been noticed by one person, Hiei. He could see her faint outlive in a high branch up the path. Her shadow wouldn't even give her away since it was broken up by leaves and the brack along the ground. Plus even if you looked striaght up underneath her you'd probably only see the occasional white hair.. Not much to look for unless you'd followed her decreasing energy signiture. She was masking it wonderfully. //Not bad.// He thought narrowing his eyes as the male slid into view..  
Not a single hair was out of place along the male wolf's body. He was smooth in his walk and calm looking.. Until her got right bellow Maru.. It was needless to say funny when a white blue collided head on with the unsepecting gray.. And all hell broke loose. They seperated for one split second, the male trying to get ready for another onslaught but Maru was all over him.  
She was on top of the male in the blink of an eye. Her snarls were loud but nothing like the yelps the cub was giving.. She wasn't turning on anyone but just shocked at how the 'bruja' was acting. Maru looked as fierce as ever and dodged a well aimed paw but instead caught him in the head with her hind legs and kicked him into a tree.. The whole time going out of her way to appear every inch the murder.. And succeding it very well.  
The male growled deeply, striking out at her and this time nearly making it. Alas once again Maru's quick feet saved her face from scratches and she toppled the male to the ground, calmly sitting on him.. Eyes flarring gold. "I win." She said it simply and neatly as if they had been playing a game.. Hiei noted that her claws and fangs were only half sheethed.. She hadn't been 'fighting' at all, just knocking him around for yesterday..  
The cub was in awe.. "Kly... SHE Beat you?!" The little wolf's fur stuck out in all angles and she looked like a bottle brush.  
Maru flashed a toothy smile and chuckled, then looked down at her 'prey' and noted his stunned and rather pissed looked.. "Thought you were walking up all smooth and perfect didn't you? Well I may be a half-breed but uneeded pride REALY gets under my skin." She said smoothly climbing off of him and shaking herself free of a few places of dust. The she calmly changed back with a flash of gold sparks and was once again beside Hiei, this time looking a bit puzzled. "You saw me, so why the secret? Thought you'd mention it for sure when that nino asked where the 'bruja' was." The guardian snorted at the pup and Tsuki promptly gave a nervouse smile.  
Yusuke asn Kuwabara were still chuckling and daring each other to fight Maru.. One coming up with odder and odder ends to each fight.. It was rather odd. Then Yusuke blinked, "Oh yeah, what's a nino?"  
"Child." Kurama, Hiei and Maru answered at the same time.. Yusuke blinked, then shugged it away.  
Hiei didn't have to answer the question. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Kly still hadn't calmed down.. He jumped slightly when ever Maru moved suddenly. And she was eating it up.. Hiei caught himself watching her movements a bit more then what his mental self deemed normal.. And went out of his way to ignore her.. Though it was begining to get difficult.  
The Guardian trotted along just behind and to the of the male, making him all the more nevouse. She chuckled. "So.. How much further?" "Half mile." The wolf answered, and Maru nodded, ears twitching and nose taking in everything.  
The cub was still wagging her tail about a hundred miles an hour and she walked to Maru's left. "So you're REALLY going to the dragon lands?!" Maru nodded. Being around Tsuki made just about anyone smile.. She even had to cut loose atleast a dozen of her first smiles. But the cub loved nothing better then to try to jump over the older canines and suceeded a few times. Though usualy she'd land in the middle of her brother's back.. Or once Maru's and once was all it took... The pup didn't land there again.  
Suddenly a temple-like house came into view.. It was sitting in the crook of two branchs on a thick tree.. And by thick I mean hundreds of feet in diameter. The tree split barely five feet from the ground and the temple was in turn about 7 to 8 feet above the ground. Stairs had been carved into the tree and were large enough where the wolves could walk up them.. But Maru chose to change at the bottom and walk up them normally.  
Kly and Tsuki were a bit quicker and waited for them upstairs.. Both in a half form.. Kly stood about 5ft '7' or so, and white gray hair.. It wasn't because of age either. Because Tsuki's was a gray green like her fur. Klay's eyes seemed more like a wolf's with the green-blue glint. He was wearing a loose white tunic, and grey-black pants of sorts and nothing on his feet. He was well toned, though not as much as some that were present.  
Tsuki looked about seven-eight tops. Her hair came to her mid back in a loose braid. She wore a single piece green dress that came to her kness and a white sash around her waist. Both wore the same silver type of pendants as the older wolf had. Though each mtched their own eye color.. But what Yusuke and Kuwabara did a double take over were the wolf ears and tails each had.. Then both turned to Maru. "Can't you.."  
Maru cut them off with a firey glare. "Not right now. Zip it!" She spoke harshly and recieved a questioning look from Tsuki but the small girl was ignorred.  
"Look, I'm sure you have questions and I think it'd be best if you stay here for a few 'hours' then you can go." Kly seemed to enjoy the thought of them being here about as much as Maru tackling him again. Though he was STILL throwing glances her way as if getting ready to bolt if she moved. Maru however knew it was common law that usualy, should the rare case a female beat a male in the presense of another wolf.. They were often paired off for mates. And being how she had no intention to be this weakling's mate.. She moved slowly and constantly watched his sister.. Hoping she had a silent mouth about things of that sort.. NO SUCH LUCK.  
Once they were inside he showed them a room with 'sitting' places as he called them then calmly shoved Tsuki in and drug Maru out into the hall. He was silent for a moment then making sure the door was closed turned to her. "What the hell are you playing at?!"  
//Oh boy.. Must've over done it this morning. Bloody good time for a lecture though..// Maru only leaned more to her right, hips moving to shift her wieght then she crossed her arms. "Pray tell what you mean by playing at?" There was one thing this guy didn't know.. It was simply that Hiei and Kurama could probably hear EVERY word and she was going to milk this guy for info..  
"Look, if anyone ever found out about.. What happened do you have any idea..." "Yes. I'm the Guardian from the Anago Temple. Every bit of information known was at the temple." "But you weren't supposed to be reading those!" "Well I did. And as I recall there was a wonderful stack of papers and tablets on wolfves. Mating habits, social works, laws, villiage locations, and samples of the gems you are all known to wear to show your status. I'm not stupid." Kly seemed to inflate in sheer anger. Though Maru was eating it up. One thing she had ALWAYS prided herslef in was the fact that any demon that usualy crossed her path on the grounds.. Spoke their secrets to her before being burned, sliced, diced, or simply slaughtered. And she could do this without resorting to pain or any drugs. Just simple well placed words.  
"Then make sure it doesn't happen again. Tsuki already thinks I let you win on purpose!" He growled, eyes flashed in a Maru-like way and his fangs showed wonderfully in his human shaped mouth. But Maru wasn't done. "I need to ask you a few things. Were there any legends around here about a half- breed?"  
"Yes..." "Mind telling me and the rest of the gang. Or do you have to call the as Yusuke would say 'pound puppies'?" Maru couldn't help but have a smug look as Kly faught the urge to attempt murder there and then.. "I don't have to call them. They're just a bunch of worthless old stories." "Good. I had to check." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
TTTTTTTTTTHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTT WWWWWWWWWAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS LLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!! No I'm not kidding it was.. That's like.. A whole lot of reading..  
Okay personal fact. I have to keep the earlier chapters handy on my floppy disk because I forget facts about original characters.. Age, eye and hair color, ect.. I know that's bad.. 


	16. Twin Blade

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 16:Twin Blade  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
"There's a bunch of old stories that've going around for the past ten centuries.." Kly began, looking at Maru.. //Is she serious?// A nodd.. //I guess so..// "Supposedly a child was rumored to have been on the edge of the wolf caln's borders. She was said to have been a half-breed and faught off anything that showed itself as a threat. No one even knew her name. But she left a 'Y' shaped mark on a tree when ever she left one spot. Some said she was just trying to mark her territory.. Others said she was just a renagade and chose to ignore her. But the last batch called her The Fushichou Angelico.. Or In Japanese and Spanish Mix-Pheonix Angel. She was said to have suddenly vanished.. Along with all of her signs. Then there was a large scale attack on the old cliffs near here.. There had been dragons throughout hundreads of caves trying to surprise to the wolves.. But every one of them were sluaghtered by the one Pheonix."  
"Some though the leader was the girl's father.. And that she had died while trying to revenge her mother's death.. But no one ever saw the marks and no one heard anything from the dragons so it became just a story.. Then a legend and most don't even bother talking about it anymore." Tsuki finished sitting in her brothers lap.. She sighed. "But the only person that was said to have seen the Pheonix said she wasn't a Pheonix, or even an angel.. In fact they called her an Infernal Bruju. Or 'Hellish Witch' that died trying to settle an old score.."  
Kly glared at Maru. "That settle your request?" His eyes flashed strangely and he seemed more like a wolf then ever. Hiei seemed to harden his glare at him which caught Maru's eye for a few moments then she answered. "Yes.. As a matter of fact it does. Thanks.. I think.. I think we'd better go.." Her voice became a whisper as she glanced out the window.. Eyes turned once more a golden color.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Yusuke looked at Maru worried and consfused. "Why did we leave?" But Maru was a few strides ahead and she didn't answer. In fact, she didn't even seem to breathe for a while. Yusuke started trying to guess.. "Did he say something?" Nothing.. Kuwabara smirked. "Maybe she likes him." Nothing.. "Did he threaten to call the 'pound puppies'?" Nothing. "I bet got cold feet." Nothing. In fact it was more that she probably didn't want to dinify that remark with an answer.  
Yusuke rolled his eyes, stuck his hands in his pockets then suddenly smiled.. "Did the 'cat' get your tounge?" "No... Just thinking." At first Kuwabara started to give another guess.. But then noticed she had talked. But her voice was with drawn, hollow, and even her movements seemd nothing more then instinct for her.. She had left to somewhere inside herself and if nothing else.. Had only decided to keep moving.. Leaving the question hanging in the air.. Why did they leave? ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
A faint roaring noise met their ears.. It was occompanied by a feeling of a moit breeze.. The Tetsuju River. They crested the hill and looked at it.. It was easily several hundred feet wide. It was slow moving, barely even a ripple in the still clear water. But what troubled Maru were the dark shapes under the surface.. "There should be a stone dam up the river. I wouldn't sugest anyone getting in the water." She said coming back to life. Needless to say.. No one bothered argueing..  
But after a few minutes of walking Maru sighed. "Yusuke?" "Yeah?" "This may be a bit more difficult then I first thought.. You sure all of you along for the ride?" "Do we have a choice?" Hiei asked, snorting and rolling his eyes. Maru only smiled a little. "Well, that's good to know. I was just thinking what connection the dream and that story had.."  
/All you slingers and fiends  
Hide behind your rocks  
Put down your guard  
I'm not here to box.  
This is no showdown  
So throw dwon your guns./  
Hiei however did a rather unusual thing-he actually gave advice.. (I know that's gotta be wrong.. Epp!) "Does it really matter?" Maru stopped walking.. The others were already about five feet ahead of them.. But she didn't move, just turned her head and looked at him.. "No.. Not.. Not really.." She said softly.. Eyes bright and she gave an even softer smile.  
Hiei seemed to think that was about as much of that he could stand and walked on.. Maru following but with a new look in her eyes and she watched the Jaganshi.. Confused..  
/You see it doesn't matter  
Where you come from  
You could be from park ave.  
Or from a park bench./ Soon the stone bridge came into view.. Along with about 30 gray colored forms on the opposite end.. Maru didn't even look at them for a full second before she dug her heels into the river bank's black earth and stopped. Her voice came out in a cross between a shudder and a shout.. Creating a rather uniqe sound..  
/You could be a politician  
Or a bitchy princess.  
But if you're lookin' to unite  
Put your knuckleheads together  
Make a fist and fight./ "They're here.. Those.." Maru's sudden halt and voice got everyone's attention.. "Those are the same things that I saw before." She said, her eyes narrowing and her slim shoulders straightening..  
Yusuke looked at her, then his face hardened as he looked at the form on the opposite bank.. They were all the same color and shape. Half wolf and an odd combonation of human along with it. Maru's blood seemed to burn in her with the sight. Then a single thought came into her mind.. Digusting things.. I can kill them with my blades... They're nothing but wolves... Wolves... Her eyes glinted red..  
/Not to your death  
And not to your grave.  
I'm talking about that freedom  
Fight like a brave./  
Kurama looked at the forms then turned to Maru. "You shouldn't fight them." "Give me one reason not to." Maru responded suddenly seeming A LOT darker with her red eyes.. "You'll turn completely." He answered with the same tone.. But the creatures had all ready started moving and Maru instantly reached for her two daggers and had one in each hand.. "I'll clear them all out with a shot gun blast." Yusuke said cockily but Maru still had her head and wits.. "The bridge couldn't take that and do you WANT to get killed by the THINGS in that water?"  
He blinked.. Kuwabara did as well.. The Guardian looked at them like they were the lowest of things and it seemed... Unusual.. Brown eyes turned to Kurama.. "I think she just did." "Yeah, she looked ready to kill everything here.." Kuwabara of course offered his comment on her.. Thugh it wasn't far from the truth..  
/Fight like a brave  
Don't be a slave  
No one can tell you  
You've got to be afraid./ Hiei watched her 'change' with an amused lok on his face. She wasn't nearly as big a problem as he'd thought. Her wolf appearence only came from her desire to get Klai back unharmed. The dragon one came when she was facing wolves or when she was angry.. In this case both.  
The 'creatures' snarled, showing the still form of Maru their fangs and steal glinting claws.. But she only closed her eyes.. Instantly her hands and daggers began glowing red.. Then she crossed her arms over her chest, and dropping to a crouch on the ground. Yusuke's first thought was that she was hurt but then a calm and demanding voice said, "You wolves shouldn't have come. You'll suffer dearly for it."  
The closest one stood still, eyes flashing a deep blood red without pupils or any shine to them.. "We have no reason to fear a Baita." It growled, flashing claws and taking a step foreward..  
Hiei smirked. He could easily understand why Maru now let the glowing daggers get even brighter.. After all not many creatures would call her a bitch and live to tell about it..  
Suddenly just as the 'wolves' drew about 20 feet from their end of the bride.. Maru jumped straight up.. And uncrossed her arms and held them out straight, throwing her daggers in a spinning motion toward the gray beings,.. "TWIN BLADE!" The daggers left a trail of red sparks behind them as Maru suddenly vanished amidst her own golden sparks..  
Then all hell broke loose since now they had four in front killing them and Maru at the opposite shore tearing into the group.. All the while the daggers spun and cut neatly through every thing they touched if it was alive.. If it were stone then the daggers swerved and dived onto the next victim. Needless to say the small group cleaned up the 'troup' in about 2 minutes tops.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Okay.. ER... I've nothing to say except more personal facts 'cuz I'm bored so.. BOO YA!  
Fact-I got the idea for Maru's heritage from dog who I like to call rojo lobo or in spanish-Red wolf  
Fact2-I'm not spanish but I like to use simple words in my fics at times! And sometimes for names!  
fact3-I updated my BIO!  
fact4-I have pictures of all my oc characters on my wall that I drew myself.. along with enough anime posters to stock a store.. 


	17. Lobo Humanos

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 17: Lobo Humanos  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Once again they were walking.. Nothin new there. But Kurama couldn't help but watch Maru and Hiei. They were a few steps ahead and walking what seemed like together. Though they had exchanged a few words here and there.. But that in itself was a miracle and both seemed to be somewhat relaxed.  
Yusuke noticed as well.. But choosing not to tangle with the two he wisely didn't say anything about it. Though usualy when Hiei talked it was insults at Kuwabara. Which hadn't been said in at least two hours.. (I know that has GOT to be a bit oc-ish..Ugh..)  
Then of course there was the ever clueless Kuwabaka. And Maru had yet to adopt that name for him though that surely would come to pass soon. //Shrimp is actually talking to a girl?!// He smiled rather.. uh.. Like he was thinking rather not so good thoughts..  
Maru threw a glance at Kuwabara.. The perverted smile went away REAL quick. ::How on earth can you stand him around your sister?::  
Hiei looked at her like she was nuts.. Then he narrowed his eyes. ::How did you know?:: ::Easy. Your scents smell too similar for you to be cousins or anything distant like that.:: ::Don't tell her.:: Maru cocked an eyebrow at him.. But shrugged. ::Okay.. What ever.::  
Kurama noted the looks passing between them.. //They're using telepathy..// Had Maru mentioned something about being telepathic? No.. She must have been hiding it.  
Maru looked around, looing for a place to stay the night.. //The dragon's borders should be in sight by now.. They must hve let the trees grow back since last time..//  
Then.. As if there wasn't wierdness in the air.. Something moved above them in the trees.. Though the only proof was a few leaves that fluttered to the ground.. Maru lifted her eyes..  
THUNK! THUM! THUMP! Three arrows were fired, the first made contact with something and the second smashed into the ground as Hiei dodged. The third barely missed Yusuke's head.. "Get into the clearing to the right! Quickly!" No one knew who shouted the order but Maru thought it wise advice and ran to it..  
The clearing was surrounded by trees but it might give them some idea as to where the blasted arrows were coming from.. "Hey did anyone get hit with those arrows?" Yusuke thought aallowed suddenly. Sense only he'd only seen two of them make contact with the ground..  
"Yes.. Not badly though.. Just a bad scratch. I'd like to know who wanted to.. To shoot at me.. They need lessons." Maru said flexing her fingers in her right hand. The arrow had cut a deep gash across her forearm. It wasn't serious but it seemed to trouble Kurama.  
"Do you have the arrow?" He asked walking over to her. She nodded. "It's not toxic. And it wouldn't metter if it was. I'm immune to underhanded tricks like that." She said as if her getting poisoned was the dumbest thing she'd ever heard. He only looked slightly doubtful but nodded. And she sat down on the ground. "So who yelled?" Kuwabara asked looking among them.. No one said a word..  
"I did. But the arrows came from traps so don't worry too much 'bout them." It was easily the best chipper voice Maru could possibly hear right then.. And a small, purple fur-ball landed on the ground. Black wings pulsing with their black energy as the cat-like creature walked over to Maru.. Black eyes shining brightly.  
Maru was in shock.. "K...K..." "Now, come ON! I leave you for a little while and you forget how to speak? Honestly. What on earth could you have been thinking coming here anyway! Crossing into the dragon's land when you're half wolf?! Jeeze! I don't even want to ask how you got through the wolves' territory!" Klai went on for several more moments of giving Maru a lecture.. But suddenly stopped as Maru drew her into a hug.. "Huh?" Black eyes blinked up at the Guardian.. Only to see.. A smiling face, :^:_:^: and tears?? Maru smiled. "You had me so worried you flea bitten cat.. I thought for sure Togasha would've killed you by now.. Oh god what a reliefe.." She sighed and scratched the cat behind the ears, still crying silently. Her eyes flickered a gold color as she blinked, her knuckles tuning white as she held onto her elbows with a confused Klai in a tighter embrace.. Klai was at a loss for words.. "So you didn't come to just kill the guy? You came to get me..?" Her voice was surprised and her feline face showed that much as well. Yusuke snorted. "Yeah, we couldn't stand a moping Maru. She didn't threaten anyone for a whole week." He joked, smiling at the now laughing Klai. Hiei however was watching Maru. She had yet to let the cat go and Klai didn't seem to care. Those two just seemed happy that the other was still alive. It was odd how much Maru had fussed about the cat when Klai had been with her. Then when the fur-ball left she couldn't stop worrying over her.. Now they were two sisters crying for no particular reason except the fact that one had found the other...  
Maru sighed and let Klai go.. "But in a way I did come to get back at togadha. I guess I'm no friggin' better than that darn Infernal Bruja.. But I was so sure..." Klai nodded. "Well T-Man isn't happy, that much I can tell right off the bat." "T-Man?" Yusuke asked, arching an eyebrow..  
Klai ignored him. "He was furious with the lobe humanos for not stopping you at the bridge, good job on that to by the way." She said jumping to the ground and sitting.  
"Lobo humanos..." Kuwabara had yet to pick up on any of the spanish.. Kurama, Hiei, Maru, and Klai said at once, "Wolf Humans." Yusuke chose not to say anything since he hadn't a clue about what they were saying and instead looked at Klai. "So what is he going to do?"  
"Well, when I went to him.." ###############Flash  
Back#####################################  
  
"Who are you?" The voice was deep, male, and angry. Klai chose correctly to give a straight and fast answer. "Klai, Messenger from the Anago Temple sir." He seemed slightly bothered by that but still had that angry and distant look about him. He wore armor of sorts, black messy hair, gray eyes, and a fresh scar on the left side of his face. But the fierce look in his eyes and the commanding tone to his voice read of one person, Maru. "What is it you're here for?" "I wish to ask you about what you plan on doing about the Guardian." "That's none of your concern. And she has a name doesn't she? This 'Guardian' of yours." Togasha spoke around his daughter's false name with an air of hatred there..  
"Yes. I don't usualy speak of it outside of the Temple Grounds sir. It does go against tradition." He must have found that amusing.. "Hah. Yes your wonderful tradition. But who sent you? Surely you didn't come here for no reason." "I did tell you my reason sir. I came to ask what you plan on doing about, Maru. Your daughter." Now THAT got his attention. "And what could you possibly know about her?! That little witch has no connection to me! What does she want then? To live here? To see her mother?" "No." Klai allowed her anger to surge through her smoothly.  
"Your own flesh and blood only wants you to leave her alone. She's done nothing to you and you're sending the Lobo Humanos after her like that! Does it not bother your head or that sorry excuse for a heart you have that you're killing her AGAIN?!" Klai unsheathed her claws and hissed out the last word.. Her wings were glowing a slight black color now..  
"You'll watch you mouth here cat!" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````  
"And then the dunder head tossed me behind bars. Idiot. He had no idea I could change into my human form and unlock the stupid door. I swear Maru you must be gifted with your mother's brains because he's about as stupid and egolistick as it gets." Klai finished crossing her paws and narrowined her eyes.  
"So.. What now?" Yusuke asked sitting down and looking Klai over. She didn't look too shabby. Though her fur was disleveled in a few places.  
Maru sighed. "I have no idea what's so ever. I'm just wondering how on earth my mother could've ever thought HIM of all people in the Makai a good mate or father."  
"Either that or he blinded her with his stupidity." Klai scoffed.  
Kuwabara didn't say a word for a few moments.. "So why would he want to kill you?" TheGuardian thought on that for a few moments.. "I don't know. I mean, he hasn't seen me for 16 years, so it can't be because I look like my mother.. He wasn't angry with her when he talked to Suna. Maybe.." She froze, the stood up suddenly.  
"What is it?" Kurama asked.  
"That story... The one where the half-breed killed her father.. Because he killed her mother and tried to attack the wolves.." Maru said sputing out just small samples of what was currently racing through her head..  
Klai blinked. "The olg Inferno Bruja story? But that's almost a thousand years old." "Yeah, we know." Yusuke answered rolling his eyes. "Kly told us that when we saw him yesterday." Klai looked at Yusuke sharply but wrote it off as 'I'll deal with it later'.  
Hiei however was watching Maru, who was pacing around the ground counting something with her hands.. "Maru, what is it?"  
She didn't bother stopping or even answering.. Just muttered, "Years.. Years.. Ten centuries.. 1,000 years.." Klai fluttered with her wings and hovered in front of Maru's face. Only to start talking and get knocked away.. "Whaa! Yo miss zombie! WAKE UP!!" Klai bolted at Maru.. And missed because Maru turned suddenly and kept walking.. Her eyes glowing a golden color..  
"Well, any more arrows we won't have to worry about her being hit again.." The cat said watching the Guardian pace like everyone else was..  
"The story.." Maru stood dead still.. Then a look of understandment washed over her face.. Her eyes sparkled as an idea obbviosly took root there. "That bakayara thinks I'll play the part of the Infernal Bruja.. And since he's a dragon, there natural train of thought is based in a live of a thousand years.. He thinks I'll do the same thing and plan to kill him exactly a thousand years after she did! So he hid me in the temple, and now he's worried.." Maru stopped talking.. The same mysterious and some what plotting look still on her face..  
"Hold it! You mean he actually believes.." Klai stopped mid sentence and shook her head. "Come on, if he's THAT thick how would he still be controlling this area? HELLO!! MAKAI TO GUARDIAN!! Are you even frikkin' listening..?"  
"She can't hear you." Hiei said like it was the easiest thing to see at that moment. Klai looked at him and narowed her eyes, but decided better then to say anything..  
"The wolf clan.." Maru said with a blink. "Klai, I need for you to go to Kly!" "Oh.. NOW you can hear me?!" Klai said being a pain.. But Maru only 'humph'ed and raised her right hand.. Suddenly Klai started glowing red then she landed neatly in Maru's palm. "Listen, I bet he'll try to send the lobo humanos to the wolf'clan's outskirting villiages. I need Kly to make sure that that doesn't happen got that?"  
Klai relaxed as the glowing stopped.. "Fine.. Jeeze all you had to do was ask.." Maru glared.. "Eep.. Okay I'm outta here!" She bolted upward and vanished.  
Yusuke looked at Maru rather oddly. "You gotta plan?" "Yeah.. Look if the four of you want to go back I don't care.. You helped me get this far, and this is a rather personal matter." Yusuke and Kuwabara chuckled and laughed. "Like we'd wimp out now?" Kuwabara asked. Yusuke winked. "Besides this Togasha guy sounds like a real laugh to be around. Might as well 'visit'." "Indeed." Hiei only looked at her.. She met his gaze and walked over to him.. "Well, what more can I ask for.. Thanks." She more then likely ment it to all of them.. But a few people present got the idea she meant it more toward Hiei.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
ALRIGHTY THEN! It's like soo close to being done.. I can practiclly hear the last live being said.. But I will try my best not leave this hanging too long.. But god.. If anyone had any idea how much I've stressed over this fic.. I know people can write good.. But I'm pretty sure most of them don't cry and stress out over it.. I tried not cerntering it too much, I tried to get the romance. (which is coming along horribly..) I've tried everything.. And even though it sucks in A LOT of places and has typos and has corny humor, and has a REALY small amount of readers.. I DON'T CARE! I'm just soo happy.. I had tears in my eyes when Maru was hugging Klai.. Mostly because I could picture that in my head and it was soo sweet... *sniff* Anyways.. Just to say this ahead of time.. THank you to EVERYONE who read this or reviewed it.. Heck send me a flame and you couldn't make me any less happy because to send a flame.. You had to.. Have. At least.. Read some of it.. *sniffs and whipes her eyes..* Sorry, I'm blabbing again.. Please wait for the next chapter.. It will come soon.. I promise! 


	18. Some words Muetre

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Yakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 18: Sleep and Muetre  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Maru sat in the tree, disarming another of the arrow traps. Everyone else should have been alseep by now. But she hadn't been able to so decided to look for more of the stupid arrows.. And had found about 10 more so far. They weren't very old, and quite sensetive. The wires that triggered then were as thin as a spider's thread.. Making them pretty much invisible and hard to notice. Plus the fact that when a wire was tripped, a branch of something moved that caught the victims attention, so that they looked at the branch.. And got shot from behind..  
They weren't hard to disarm but Maru had a small plan to leave a surprise should the owners happen to come along to check them.. She smiled and set back, leaning against the tree and letting her eyes close for a few moments. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"  
Maru jumped, bolting up and blinking.. Her eyes searched along the branches then relaxed. "Hiei, I swear you'll be the death of me." Maru laughed brushing her crimson bangs out from in front of her face. "Hn." //Boy, that hasn't changed..// She rolled her eyes with a soft smile on her face. "And you're one to talk about being up. At least I've been constructive." She said rather proudly. "Doing what?" "Setting lovely little surprise for the next people that check this thing." Maru said patting the crossbow that was tied to the limb she was on. "They'll get a nice scare.. Nothing to serious though."  
"Considerate." "Yeah it is isn't it."  
Silence.. //Well that conversation lasted longer then the normal..// But she didn't mind. It was comforting just knowing that he was there. Her eyes looked at him. His own ruby colored orbs were closed and a good look later she knew he was dozing. Though he'd deny it at the drop of a coin. She smiled. Oh well, not like she wouldn't. Which got her thinking.. They were alike in an odd number of ways.. First being both had REALY BIG tempers.. Of course with him it was a given. He WAS a fire youkai.. Her exuse? Uh.... Good question.. Just her it seemed. They both were as she had noted, verticly challenged..  
Maru giggled a little. //Yeah, but I'm shorter then he is.// She rolled her eyes and looked at him again.. He looked a far shot different then when he was awake.. Almost innocent.. Her eyes locked on his katana.. Uh huh. ALMOST innocent. But he was.. Perfect in his own way...  
That brought on a blush.. Heck she turned a faint cherry color but swallowed and looked away. Crap... Since when in the seven hells did she blush?! Holy... He moved and her heart did a tail turn and skipped a beat.. But he just twitched.. //Okay Maru.. DOWN. NOW.// She chided herself for being so.. So... What was she being?  
Soft? Trusting? Too girly? Acting like a human? "No.. I don't think so.." She sighed, then looked at Hiei again.. //Jeeze. Looks like I'm confused again..//  
/I took my love,  
and I took it down.  
Climbed a mountain,  
and I turned around./ It was strange.. And it wasn't until later that she even knew what feeling was bothering her so much was about.. But that night she was content just to sit there, drifting in between sleep and thoughts and just pretending that everything was easier then it was right now. That she didn't have a father to worry about. That she didn't have to worry about ever leaving.. That she didn't have to worry about the two bloods seeping through her viens.. That everything was like this. Deep and perfect.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
/And I saw my reflection,  
In the snow covered hills.  
Well the landslide brought,  
Me down.  
Oh mirror,  
In the sky,  
What is love?/ Maru awoke with a start.. Trying to shove the dream away.. God almighty.. //I hope.. That that was just horomones.. God almighty..// Who new her sleeping mind was so.. Bad... She shuddered and blinked a few times, trying to push away the images from last night.. At least.. She told herself that that was the LAST thing on earth she should be dreaming about.. Though she had enjoyed that... //Shit... No I didn't! I DID NOT ENJOY THAT!!// She yelled at her mental self..  
She blinked again.. Where was she..? Tree... Ground.. Crossbow.. Oh yeah from last night.. "But where's H.." She froze then looked up, behind her right shoulder to where another limb came from the main trunk.. He was there.. Still breathing evenly and still looking as cute as... Er... //Nothing.. Crap that dream..// Maru scoffed. "Okay Maru, get it in gear here. Time to get ready before we start walking again." She grumbled punching his leg to wake him.. He jolted up, eyes wide and ready.. Then he saw it was just her. "What?"  
"Easy, time to go. Jeeze. What's up with you? I woke up a full five minutes before you did." Maru said smirking at the cross look he now wore.  
"Hn." "I swear you have your own language made up of grunts and huffs." She said it jokingly and laughed a small laugh before jumping out of the tree. "Watch you step. Look form any twigs on the ground. If you see them don't touch them or you'll set off the traps."  
He grunted and got ready to get to the clearing by tree.. But Maru seemed to read his mind. "There are wires running all along the branches. You touch them and I'll hurt you myself if you make it through them." She said walking along, eyes darting over the ground at a rapid pace.. He followed her, paying attention to the ground as well.  
Then it came. "Maru! Hiei!"  
Only two people would make THAT much noise..  
Only two people would be dense enough to shout here..  
Only two people had that perfect of a timing..  
Yep, Yusuke and Kuwabara.. Maru frowned and opened her mouth to yell back.. But a single sound caught both her's and Hiei's ears.. SNAP! Her foot had found a twig.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
THAT is a cliffhanger if there ever was one! WHAHAHA Actually.. It isn't.. You see I'd have to end the chapter RIGHT now for it to be a cliffhanger.. And you see.. I'M NOT!! ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
SNAP! Maru with drew a breath in a gasp, and Hiei's eyes instantly moved toward the moving branch. He moved before even thinking.. And went to grab Maru from behind..  
The Guardian knew the trick to it.. But she felt hands grab her shoulders.. Startled she turned around.. Then the hands tensed as the trap's 'missile' made contact.. Right in his right shoulder..  
Maru looked Hiei in the eye and said in one smooth motion. "Don't. Move." He however seemed to start to reprimand the words.. But fell down.. Out cold.  
"What happened?" Yusuke asked running into the tree line.. Kuwabara and Kurama close by.. "DON'T MOVE. I swear I'll slit your throats if you move one inch, got that? Just back up, and DON'T walk on any sticks. I'll get mister hero here into the clearing in ONE moment, okay?" Maru's voice was commanding, not urgent, not paniced, and somewhat calm.. Though she now had Hiei slumped over her..  
The three nodded and walked carefully back into clearing.. Where Maru soon appeared in gold sparks, sitting... "What happened to the shrimp?" Kuwabara even seemed worried...  
"Easy. I set off one of those traps and he tried to play hero." Maru said with slight humor to her voice.. She was laughing.. Actually laughing?!  
"This isn't funny!!??" Kuwabara and Yusuke yelled in union. But Maru sighed, rolling her gold-crimson orbs and reaching into a pouch connected to the white sash on her outfit. "Actually, it is. He got hit with a needle. Containing, need I add, a small dose of a sleeping draught."  
"You mean he's.. Asleep?" Kurama asked looking at Hiei who had his head in Maru's lap.. "Yes. If he'd let the stupid thing hit me I'd just have swallowed the antidote. But he had to go try and 'rescue me'. I swear you guys are too soft when it comes to girls."  
Yusuke tactifly added to Kurama with a whisper, "Or in Hiei's case, ONE girl." Kurama blinked but did agree.  
Maru blushed but pulled out a small green jar.. She opened the lid and out came a small blue berry of sorts.. "I swear I should let him sleep.. But he'll get in a good two hours before this wears off." She had a soft and worried look about her.. But he did look peaceful...  
/Can the child within my heart,  
Rise above?  
Can I sail through changing ocean tides?  
Can I handle the seasons of my life?/ ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
/Oh oh...  
Oh oh ohhhoo.  
Well I've been 'fraid,  
Of changin'.  
'Cause I built my life,  
Around you./ Hiei was dimly aware of movement... And of voices... One was closer than the others but hard to thinc k on very long... A numb feeling was slowly lifting... Leaving him trying to wake up and batting his eyes against light.. Brown... He blinked. Brown hair... Who the... He moved his head slightly, eyes now somewhat focused as he now saw red... Kurama? No... Maru... That alone made him try to move.. But she was carrying him piggy back and moving wouldn't do much good...  
Golden red eyes met his as he looked at her rather harshly, as if ashamed to be in that particular position... Maru got the message. "Guys wait there, he's waking up." She called to the other three as she dropped to the ground and sat Hiei down... "You alright?"  
He ignorred her question easily enough... "What. Happened."  
She swallowed. "Easy... You played hero when you didn't need to. If you had just let the stupid needle hit me, I'd have taken the antidote and you would have four hours of memories to cover that up." Her explanation was easy in coming... But the resonse wasn't too plesant..  
Kurama looked at Hiei, the fire demon did not look very happy. And that was putting it mildly... "I wasn't 'playing 'hero' I was trying to make sure you didn't get yourself killed, baka lobo." Hiei grumbled standing up shakily... But he shrugged off Maru when she tried to help him... And he started walking...  
/Well time makes you older,  
Children get older.  
And I'm getting older too.  
Well.../ Maru looked at him, furry building up in her eyes. She'd worried over that.. Punk! And all he'd done was shrugg her off and ignore her. Well so much for the rest of anitdote to take away that head ache and weak feeling! He'd probably push her away! //I swear, well. let's see if he gets himself nearly killed again... I'll give him a good four hours to remember...// "The LEAST you could've done is ACT half-way considerate. Not like it'd change that LOVELY attitude you have though, ne?" Maru vanished in a flurry of gold sparks and appeared in front of them several feet ahead, eyes straight foreward and not even botheing to look at any of them... Much less speak... And was like that for six hours straight... ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
/Well, I've been,  
'Fraid of changin'.  
'Cause I built my life,  
Around you.  
But time makes you older,  
Children get older.  
And I'm getting older too..  
Well I'm getting older too./ "Hiei, you should talk to her." Yusuke hinted, trying to get him to listen. "She was worried sick when you didn't wake up when she thought you would..." Hiei ignored him... (Is it just me, or is he getting good at that?)  
"Maru didn't mean for the dart or what ever to hit you. We startled her..." Yusuke continued.. Hiei seemed to be listening. "And I think she likes you." The raven haired teen finished, not really wanting to use those words to either describe Maru, or to say them to Hiei. Though, Hiei didn't even acknowledge his excistance... Then he flickered out of sight... //At least I got him to listen...// Yusuke thought rolling his eyes.  
Maru silently cursed at just about everything in excistance. //That short, ungrateful, fire eyed, little freak..// Her thoughts for the past hours had circled around such insults... Along with a variety of hexes and curses she knew were fake but she said them anyway... Though most of her 'mental conversation' was in multiple languages all at once... Since she threw out LOTS of old things from her mind when she got in a bad mood or particulary pissed as she was today... Her sandals had long since caused a nice blister to form on her left ankle.. But she didn't even so much as a break a stride. She was mad and mad she was going to be for a while.. Klai had usualy cleared a path to the nearest tree when Maru had gotten fired up over anything Suna or Klai herself usualy said. But the Guardian couldn't help but smirk at the memory from when she'd 'knocked' over a tree... It wasn't a particularly large one... Just a tree.  
/So,  
Take this love,  
And take it down. And if you climb a mountain and you turn around, And if you see my reflection in, The snow covered hills. Well the landslide brought me down. And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills.../ Suna had pitched the biggest fit in history... But... //I bet I'm being JUST as unreasonable... I mean, it was my fault and I did sound a bit too perky when he woke up...// Her feet began to get heavier as she stood still for a moment... //I am being a baita..// She thought sadly, her eyes straying to the ground... She sighed, then decided then and there to apoligize... Even though she usualy didn't, she was in the wrong. He was right, in a way at least. She'd set the traps, and had set one off... He tried to 'save her' and she joked about it...  
/Well maybeeeeeeeeeeee. Well maybeeeeeee.  
Well maybeeeee, (Well maybe) The land slide will bring you down.../  
Maru winced, then placed a hand over the cut from the arrow... //Guess I forgot to take care of it yesterday... Figures...// She took a few steps then stood still... One thought suddenly entering her brain and not leaving... Where was everyone else? She hadn't taken a step for like five minutes.. Surely they weren't that far behind...  
She shook her head, then ran to the top of the hill she'd just crested... And blinked... Nothing. Just trees... She looked at her feet. //Oh shit... Shit shit shit shit..// There wasn't a path under her feet. She'd been walking away from the path... Crap who knew how long... "Okay, Maruka... Time to get that wonderful brain of yours back on track... Literally..." She said more to herself, then anyone else... But unfortunatly, anyone else was present...  
"Well, I was told to keep an eye out for any girls with gold-red eyes and traveling with four guys... You fit part of that don't you?" It was a female voice. Possibly the worst female voice Maru could hear right now... It was velevety... A voice that could probably cuss a guy out and he'd still drool over the owner...  
Gold-red eyes looked along the ground then acting on an impulse she looked upward... A 'woman' stood there, several inches taller then Maru. Though with a hieght of 5feet, most people were. Yet the 'woman' would be the perfect size by normal standards. She was slim, nicely built, and made Maru have a sudden surge of jealousy...  
A simple short, black kimono that literally stopped no less then an inch below the end of her hips was all that the 'woman' wore aside from a black cord around her throat with a grey stone handing from it, and sandals. She had a dagger on her wiast and was holding... Blank gray cards of sorts...  
She had dark, liquid purple eyes and short black hair... Though this only showed off her features a bit better and made Maru all the more determined to slit her throat... Dark lips smiled at the Guardian... "Hello, you would be Maruka, correct?"  
Maru only snorted in return and sank into a defensive stance, daggers in each hand... She let her eyes look closely over the terraine... Woods, maybe a stream down hill, most of it too her satifaction. Except the slight mist... Where had that come from?  
"I am Muerte. I have orders to kill you, sorry." She said simply and the 'sorry' was like a stone dropped in a bucket... Clattering and meaningless. Maru decided then and there that this was probably her father's new 'mate' by the looks of her. Since she'd known about her name, was 'pretty', and seemed to speak Togasha with a somewhat warm tone...  
"Sounds good to me. But please," Maru said with a smirk as she suddenly appeared in front of Muerte in a flash of gold... "Its MARU!" Her daggers were glowing red.. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Oh my.... That was longer then usual...*looks in crystal ball* And do I see Maru... Apoligizeing... (can't spell)??!!!! *blinks and tosses ball away* Sorry, been meaning to get a new one.. It's.. Uh.. Wrong.. I THINk.... Or is it...  
Personal fact 1-Muerte=death in spanish  
fact 2-That song was Dixxie Chics  
fact 3-.... I WANT CN TO PUT YYH ON ADULT SWIM!!!  
fact 4-CN is canceling Yu Yu Hakusho.. BUT I'VE GOT DNDS SOOOOO BBOOOO YA! 


	19. Memories and being glad

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Hakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 19:Memories and Glad  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/  
  
Hiei blinked as three, not four people stopped under the tree he was sitting in...  
"Hey Hiei, is Maru here?" Yusuke asked, seemingly worried... Hiei blinked again. "No..." He stopped, read the looks on the three faces, and his eyes got REALLY wide. "She must have got off the trail..." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Maru threw as much energy as possible into the blow... And Muerte barely fended her off with a black wave of energy... Then the Death vanished... Not in sparks... It was speed... And that scared the crap out of Maru right then and there... She sliced neatly through the branch, heard it slam into the ground, and she jumped upwards... Landing neatly on a higher branch. Every nerve was tense and her brain was focused on one thing... Finding that slut...  
"Well, such a nice fighting style. Though it is pretty old for someone like you, little Maruka." A voice hissed in her right ear... Then a blow connected with the side of her head and she flew down ward... Making acquaintance with the earth below.. But in a blink she was up on her feet ready for another go... Which only lasted about two seconds... Before she got to say hello to mother earth again... This time with her face...  
"Oh sorry, I'll try to be a bit softer... Togasha wanted you to have time to tell me where the stone is..." Muerte said before vanishing again... Maru growled and flung herself upward... This time meeting a blow to the back with a turn and a roundhouse kick... Which gave Muerte a lovely view of a tree head on... Before she recovered and vanished... AGAIN.  
/I'm not,  
You're average type of girl.  
I'm gonna show the world.../ This time Maru was ready, as soon as she sensed the black clad girl behind her she teleported above the spot and dive bombed the 'lady' straight into a patch of grass with her name all over it... Needless to Muerte wasn't happy with this development... In fact one could say she was mad enough to spit... Grass that is.  
Maru was way ahead of her, Suna had taught her not to let your opponent have time to speak, lest they cast a hex or spell. But Maru was doing this because she just didn't want this witch talking-AT ALL.  
/Strength in me that sometimes they can't see. / Energy pulsed along her daggers, then she let loose. "Twin Blade! Gemelo Pala! (1)" The daggers sped foreword, nicking a tree first and sending splinters in every direction as the crimson energy left a bright trail behind the spinning blades...  
/I'm about to switch my style-  
And soon things may get wild.  
But I'll prove that I can conquer anything!/  
Muerte stood on the ground, arms crossed in front of her... "You may be Togasha's child... But I'm more of a dragon then you!" She glowed as black as night... Energy surrounding her... Then it shot forth... But not before 6feet worth of black scale tipped wings spouted from Muerte's back... And she shot up ward... Maru didn't see it coming... She didn't even stand a chance... Muerte canceled out her twin blade with a flick of her wrist... Then the black energy surrounded Maru... It didn't really hurt...But the presence of pain was there in her head... Like she was out of her body... But then she felt a cooler energy pulse around her right hand...  
Perplexed she brought it to her face as she rushed to the ground... The gem in her glove was glowing golden.. Light shattering the dark around her... Then she was aware of a shout... Not loud... But it was there... She tried to turn, to look, the command ran through her body... But it wouldn't listen...  
"Here you go half-breed!" Muerte yelled, and the darkness increased suddenly... But Maru wasn't through...  
/So from my head to toe,  
I'm takin' full control.  
I'll make it on my own-This time!/ Red light pulsed around her body barely three feet from the ground then she pointed her palms at the laughing form above her... "TAKE THIS! Rojo Ardiente Flecha!!" (2) Instantly a red arrow formed, lined up perfectly with Muerte... Then with a flash it flew forward, and the black energy glowed red as the arrow left a trail of red and orange sparks... With Maru now on the ground and trying to get up, despite the fact that the energy surrounding her crackled and popped with her every movement...  
/Better watch me shine.  
Better watch out- goin' for the knockout.  
And I won't stop 'till I'm on top now! / The arrow made a shrieking noise followed by Muerte's scream... But as the dragon fell to the ground nearby... Both girls got up... One as ready for more as the other.. But Muerte now had a large hole through her middle... Charred and her eyes were dim... But she charged first... Cards now zipping through the air in an attack similar to Maru's Twin blade... Though the Guardian dodged, red-gold eyes burning...  
/Not gonna give up-Until I get what's mine.  
Better check that-I'm about to upset.  
And I'm hot now- so you better step back.  
I'm taking over-so watch me shine!/ The black, cage like energy constricted some of Maru's movements, but she didn't really notice until she stumbled.... Then heard a whistle from a Card... She struggled to get up... But the black mass only tightened... Until she could barely see out side of it. But it was strange... She wasn't afraid. And she knew the card could easily get through the black mass and kill her... But she only saw it as a challenge... Just like her training from Suna... A challenge for her to live... A test... //Alright... Well Muerte... Get ready for a pop quiz...// Maru closed her eyes as the gray card suddenly buried itself in her chest... Just below her heart... But she brought herself up, her chest beginning to turn crimson...  
/Watch me.  
So get ready here I come-Until the job is done.  
No time to risk-there's nothing stopping me./  
"Well, now you can tell me... Where is... The stone...?" Muerte landed softly on the ground nearby... Feet planted firmly on the ground and eyes looking over the bloody Maru with a look a pride... She was happy... She was happy...  
That thought slowly sank in... Then red-gold eyes flickered... The battle in between bloods had started again... Only this time... She knew which one she wanted to come out on top... //All right dragon... You're so big and bad... Let's show this witch what we've got... I'm ready for a good fight...// Her eyes went from the wolf gold... Straight to a black with an odd ring of an ember red along the slit pupil...  
/Oh but you don't hear me though.  
So now it's time to show.  
And prove I'm going to be the best that I can be. /  
She felt the wings pulse into existence and her eyes became sharper... Her happi coat hung in ribbons across her back... But the red matched the blood perfectly... She looked at the glove on her hand... Black... No light at all...  
"What?! How..." Muerte gasped, wide eyed but ready... But she never got the chance... Maru unsheathed the sword that hung across her back, rocketed foreword...  
/So from head my to toe-my mind body and soul.  
I'm taking full control.  
This time! / And she brought the blade down squarely on Muerte's head... Dark crimson liquid was surrounding her hands and all over her blade... Then she picked up the pendent the dragon had been wearing... And glanced at It... A gray stone with flecks of black, gray, silver, and white running through It... It was polished and now cracked... But she put it in her pouch by her side... Sheathed her sword after whipping it on her happi... Called her daggers and did the same to them... Then walked back toward the path...  
The whole time her chest burned and bled... But the sight behind her kept her going... Dang if she was going to die... Better do it away from that mess...  
/Better watch me shine!  
Not gonna give up 'till I get what's mine!  
Now watch me shine!  
And I'm hot now, so you better step back!  
Watch me shine!  
Watch me! / ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Hiei looked at the crimson area... His eyes not really even stopping over the still form.. It was dead and it wasn't Maru. Though he sensed her energy everywhere... But it was fainter then before... She had left, but which way? His Jagan had turned up nothing... Just a replay of what happened... Maru had killed the girl below... Then nothing else...  
But he got his answer, and not in the way he wanted... A trail of red met his eyes that lead away from there... And after a few minutes of following... He found Maru. She was in a daze but moving. The red must have been from the other girl's blood... Or so he thought. Until he walked up behind her.  
A hole... Not large but bleeding heavily. It had been doing do for a while. Since her whole back and front were covered with the liquid. But she was walking along, much as she had not that long ago... Eyes and pace steady and forward...  
Hiei seemed to deem it worthless to try to talk to her... She had a look in her eyes that plainly said that... But he grabbed her right hand, unsure about what in the seven hells he was doing... "Maru! Wake up!"  
She stopped then she blinked... That dazed and empty look retreating from her black eyes... "Hiei? What... Where are they?"  
He blinked. Well that wasn't the reaction he was thinking of... "Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama are close by. You wondered off the path. So we..." Maru wasn't even listening... She was trying to walk again... Only to stumble and, didn't actually connect with the ground... (A/N for once) ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````  
Hiei watched her closely... She was breathing normally... But other then that she didn't move. Heck if he knew how she was still alive. He had removed her happi coat and bandaged her chest, (the strip of cloth/bra was still there for all the pervs. and will STAY there for the rest or the story.) and a few smaller cuts on her arms and legs. It was dark and she leaned back against the tree in a deep sleep, her wings folded delicately behind her... Not even moving when he had wrapped the strips of cloth over the wound. Though after an hour or so it stopped bleeding strangely enough...  
She looked peaceful enough, but she needed to have the wound healed. And he doubted he'd be able to leave her long enough to go get Kurama. Of course he'd raised his energy thinking they'd sense It... Even then that might take a while... She might make it on her own though. She seemed to be the type to have a knack for pulling herself out of scrapes. As well as, he admitted with a sigh, others that got themselves into situations... Of course in a way he WAS referring to himself...  
He sat down beside her, eyes still wandering over her face. It was weird. She had her eyes slightly opened. He hadn't noticed until now... But they were small slits... Only a shiny line was visible under the dark lashes... Hold it. Why was he 'studying' her. He gave himself a mental note to keep his eyes to himself. It would be just his luck and she'd wake up and think he was acting like the fools. (Yusuke and Kuwabara)  
Maru was breathing softly... Her chest barely rising and falling with the small and steady breaths. She was hurt. There wasn't a doubt in Hiei's mind. But how bad was it? And more importantly, (By his standards.) why had she wandered off and fought that girl?  
He sighed. //Don't let the baka lobo wake up.// He thought as he undid the bandana around his head... Then closed his eyes as the third eye opened. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````  
Nothing, not even a single thought came from her. Which in a way made sense. She was sleeping. But flashes came into view. They were random memories. Her mind must have been replaying them. Though most were of her training there was one that caught his 'eye'. (No pun intended.)  
````````````````````````````````Flash back```````````````````````````````````````````````  
  
"Suna! Suna! I found something!" Maru yelled, her voice was much younger, not much older then Tsuki. She had short hair, barely even to her shoulders. She had on a red sweatband, and the usual black happi and sash with black sandals. She was running up the steps to the temple he assumed. She had a dark colored bundle in her arms and was holding it like it was alive.  
Suna came into light from the rooms in the red colored building and sighed, yellow eyes staring at Maru crossly. She had water on her hands and had been cleaning probably. She walked over to a practically hopping Maru and put a hand on the red and brown head. "What is it child? You're supposed to be working in the southern area." Suna seemed to have used up her patience on the child prior to this, and looked rather bothered by the child's actions.  
"Look! I found this! It's a gato!(3) It's a girl gato!" Maru said trying to stay still as she lifted a tattered piece of cloth from the bundle. Instantly a smaller, darker, and less furry Klai appeared.  
"Well, I bet the mother dropped it in the storm last night. They do have nesting grounds near here." Suna said narrowing her eyes and nodding. Maru however looked at the old Keeper like she was an idiot. "Cat's don't have nests. The birds do.."  
Suna chuckled. "No, these aren't ningen cats. They're ones from around here. They have wings like velvet and are very good flyers. Though it IS odd one should have lost it's parents. They're usually good parents." Suna sighed, then looked at Maru. Her gaze didn't soften, nor did it harden at her. But Suna just seemed to be thinking... Which the young Guardian seemed to have little patience for. "Can we keep her? She needs a place to stay Suna!"  
"You don't use my name, remember that! But..." Suna paused at the young girl. Red-gold eyes were sparkling. They were a far shot different then the ones Hiei had seen. "All right. She can stay. But she'll need a name... I think... Klai will do well."(4) "The child of storm?" Maru asked, eyes wondering. "Yes." "Thank you Sun... I mean Keeper!" Maru clung to the cat and bolted down the steps to go take care of the new occupant of the Temple Grounds. `````````````````````Flash back````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
It was raining. Hard and lightning ran across the sky... The temple looked bright. But Maru was walking down the steps... One foot over the other, slowly down the slippery stone steps. She slipped once and ended up rolling half way down and doing a nice front flip. But she got up and looked at her muddy legs and arms with a look of amusement. "I've gotta wash all this off, oh well." Her voice sighed and she turned back to the main path leading from the temple and ran along it, a smile on her lips. It took a while but finally she came to an all too familiar spot. The trees and bushes stopped growing and the burned line along the ground told her to stop. She stood there, just on the edge of the moss, and waited.  
Suddenly Suna appeared an umbrella and a small wagon in tow. Maru smiled. "Hey Keeper. Need help?" She asked, smiling as Suna walked flawlessly through the barrier. "No. You are supposed to be watching the temple! Klai's not old enough yet to watch it Maru! Now get back there this instant!"  
"But I... It was raining so I thought you'd..." "I want you to get back there now, Guardian!" Maru sighed, hung her head and nodded. But not before looking at the old woman crossly. "My name is MARU, SUNA or 'Keeper'." The young girl huffed and walked off into the rain... Not even bothering to teleport. //Suna's such a jerk sometimes. I just wanted to help... But she's always like that... Well, we'll see how well she likes a sourpuss Maru. She wants some kind of emotionless witch as her 'Guardian', she's gonna get one. // ```````````````````````````````````````````````````Flash back``````````````````````````````  
"Maru, I need for you to get Klai. I need her to send something to the Dragon-clan to me." Suna's voice sounded older, and sicker. "Fine." Maru answered appearing in the bright sunlight. She was about 13 or 14 and looked VERY different from her counterpart 6 or 7 years ago. She stood with an air of authority around her and she looked dark and deadly. Her voice was older and strangely dark for a girl's voice at that age. But she had undoubtedly kept her promise about becoming the emotionless Guardian the Keeper had wanted...  
"Klai! Suna needs you again!" Maru called from the bottom of the steps.. Sure enough a small purple speck became larger and Klai came into view. "All right!" `````````````````````````End of Flash Back```````````````````````````````````````````````  
Hiei opened his eyes, red orbs on the slumbering Maru. So she wasn't always this silent. She'd just became cold because Suna had always taught her to hate and fight... And Klai had seemed to be the only person Maru could remember that cared about her and showed it. Though that thought brought a pang of realization to the fire demon... However it was short lived.  
"Hiei?" It was soft, and confused. He blinked and realized he'd been starring at an awake Maru. She had her eyes half lidded but she was awake. She looked cofused, yet had her eyes firmly locked on his face..  
"You're awake." He said, it seemed more like a statement then a question.  
Maru nodded and tried to lean forward, throwing a glance at her wings and probably looking for the happi coat. Though she winced when she tried to turn... "How long have been out for?" Was the next question she asked..  
"Not that long."  
"Where's everyone else?"  
He for once only shrugged. He didn't have any idea where they were. Though he could sense something far off.. Though that could anything from them to another dragon which was the last thing they needed right now.  
"Wonderful." Maru muttered and closed her eyes.. "Damn... I wouldn't be surprised if I don't make it through this.. So much for killing Togasha.."  
"Hn." Hiei for once had pretty much no idea what to say.. So fell back on what he'd normally 'say'.  
Maru opened her eyes and looked at him from the corner of her left eye, since he was still leaning against the tree beside her. Then the black-red orbs fell closed.. And she leaned over onto his shoulder.  
His first reaction would have been to push her away.. And nearly did so.. Except she spoke first.. Her voice was soft and far off, but he still heard it.. "I'm glad you found me, Hiei... I was worried..." Now needless to say he snapped his head around and was looking at her in the blink of an eye... But she was asleep.. //Did she plan that?// ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````` 1-Spanish-Twin blade 2-spanish-Red Burning Arrow 3-spanish-cat 4-Klai-a legend of a small child that was born from lightning and storms and became a caretaker for a small family during many storms, she was said to have wings and the abilities to ward of unfriendly spirits and to be able to control the storm itself.. Though she was said to have later died when her family was killed in a war. Her spirit then began to search out large storms and wars to protect children and elders.  
Review, I give this story four more chapters.... Then it SHOULD BE finished. But I had planned on finishing at ch.15.. But I KNOW it'll be done before I hit 25.. 


	20. Something Happened

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or ideas from the original Yu Yu Hakusho, I do not own any songs that appear here either. However I do lay claim to all insert characters. Ideas, ect.  
  
Temple Grounds  
  
Chapter 20:Something Happened  
  
:: Telepathy:: "speech" //thoughts// /lyrics/ ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````` "You shouldn't be up." "Like I'm actually going to listen to you?"  
  
ng her wings.. "You actually think you can fly?" The fire youkai asked raising an eyebrow.  
Maru looked him dead in the eye, a look that read, 'no more comments' quite plainly. Though what was stranger was the fact that he actually listened and looked away.  
The Guardian grunted a bit but the wound didn't trouble her too much when she raised her wings and they unfolded completely. Hiei threw a glance at the black scaled extensions.. They had gotten a few inches larger.. Her eyes narrowed and she instinctively wrapped her left arm over her stomach, letting the loose happi coat cling to her skin a bit better.. He rolled his eyes and looked away again, ignoring her..  
The wings trembled as she groaned in pain again, but they pulsed warmly and soon she was hovering a few inches off of the ground and moving forward.. In truth it was a better idea to fly since her muscles and joints were soar and over used from yesterday. Though the blood loss would undoubtedly slow her healing she seemed able to work with what she had.. Hiei let his eyes stray at her again, she was now just high enough to not worry over tree limbs though low enough to hear him and watch for anyone else..  
Both demons were silent for quite some time.. Maru was a bit busy staying airborne, while Hiei was, as we all know, not a chatterbox. But lack of conversation hadn't ever really gotten on Maru's nerves. After all she had dodged talking about things with Klai and Suna strictly because she hated idle chitchat. Klai had always been a yack-a-holic, Suna a bit more serious though still prone to ramble, and Maru the single one to just sit still and not have to talk non-stop.  
Yet it had been lonely at times. Especially since she had had no idea there was much outside the walls except wars and back stabbing low lives. But she had learned differently, somewhat. Her father wasn't what one would call a perfect parent, but she had liked the time she'd spent outside of the barrier.. //I just wish it could last... But come on, I don't have ANYWHERE to go once this crap is over. But I swear by whatever god exists I'll give that godly brat an earful if he even THINKS about making me join his 'goons'. // Her eyes looked at the cloaked person below her and she held her gaze for moment.. Would she? Would she really hate having anything to do with them? Yusuke was nice, and Kuwabara only need a good knock on the head and he usually was at least bearable, Kurama was 'cool', and Hiei... Was well.. Hiei, was there anyway to really describe him.. Sure she wanted to know more about him, but not unless he wanted to tell her himself. She wasn't one to dig any ways. Now as for Yukina.. Was there any REAL reason to keep his secret, well, a secret? //He'd be a.. // Her thoughts halted, as she looked away, her cheeks feeling slightly hot.. // All right, different topic please. //  
Hiei felt her gaze lift.. What had she been starring at? His ruby eyes looked at her, a somewhat observing look about him. He'd spent a better part of last night constantly checking on her.. Which had him asking one thing, Why the Hell had he cared so much? He knew of course. For the first time he'd finally realized how delicate she was.. She'd done enough to make everyone think she had most of things under control, except for then. So he had been worried about her. That didn't change anything in particular.. He looked away again.. Thinking.  
/I may be the single thing-That you never want to see.  
But sorry I can't throw everything away.  
'Cause I've got a few things to prove to you. / Maru sighed, her eyes dark and confused.. //What in the world's wrong with me? You'd think I was sick or something.. //  
/Just because I'm not perfect.  
I'm not tall, pretty, or extremely smart.  
So let me show you, I'll be the best.. //  
Both walked/flew on in a rather heavy silence. But something was changing there and then, though it might take something for both of them to see It..  
/That I can be, the best they'll ever see.  
So please embrace me now, tell me it's okay.  
Because I know I've bot a long way to go.  
Yet something in this head is changing, reforming, rethinking.  
And I can feel this heart beating stronger, and with purpose. / ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````  
"Maru!" Red-black eyes blinked, and the owner smiled a bit and looked down at Hiei. "Looks like we found them." He only nodded, avoiding her eye contact. Though this bothered her a bit Maru decided not to dwell on it instead turned her attention back to the approaching three.  
Kuwabara stood still as she flew downwards toward them then landed on the path with a soft 'whish' noise.. "You.. You're spirit energy's different.."  
Maru cocked her head to the side and blinked, "Yeah, I think I'm stuck like this for a while.. Got in a fight with my father's new whore." She rolled her eyes while Yusuke and Kuwabara blinked, Kurama only looked at Maru, then turned to Hiei. "What happened?"  
The fire demon only threw a glance at Maru. "You'll have to ask her." Maru only blinked, "Well, like I said, Togasha sent his new 'girl' after me.. And well, looks like I got a little too used to the dragon blood." She said folding her wings tightly against her back..  
"Yeah well, we met another group of those lobo things.." Kuwabara said crossing his arms. "I'm surprised you only met one group.. I always thought there'd be more of them.. Especially since we ARE only about a day's walk from Togasha's lovely little town.."  
Yusuke rolled his eyes, then his eyes landed on Maru's rather tattered happi... "You okay?" "Yeah... Looks like a pretty bad cut..." Mary crossed her arms and let her wings pulse out of existence.. "It's nothing. Like I said, I got in a fight with that witch."  
Both boys didn't look convinced.. But both must have got the idea to drop it.... ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````  
Darkness... A heavy thick darkness. It seemed to constrict her senses, telling her to be still, never get up. But it was different... Like she was supposed to be somewhere... Supposed to helping something happen. What? What was there besides the dark?  
A groan... //Where... What happened? I thought... // Dark eyes opened to inky black.. She noted the faint moist smell, and earth... //A cave... But how the..// She groaned again as she got up, feeling extremely soar and her joints seemed to pop and creak against her movements. These were... //It's like the first time I teleported...// ```````````````````````Flashback``````````````````````````````````````````  
"Maru, you had best take it easy. This isn't anything a normal demon can do. It's easiest if you give your body time to adjust to the changes." Suna said carefully, she was standing next to Maru. The young girl was crouched on the ground and breathing hard... She looked about 4 or 5, certainly younger.. She didn't even bother to nod; just kept still and her eyes flashing an angry red color..  
"Maru! You must listen. If you aren't careful this could kill you easily. It's nearly impossible to go from one dimension to another without some sort of item these days. But I thought if you could listen.." "I KNOW! If I could listen and do as you say then I'd learn. All right already... Just shut up and let me get my wits about me okay? That last place I wound up at wasn't a picnic got it?" Maru was rather, angry and her tone proved that as a fact. But she soon gulped at one more breath of fresh air then stood... Focusing at what looked like the horizon... Then she began to glow a faint gold color. "Maru, it's to early to try this again. But knowing, as you probably aren't listening, try to teleport to the temple and back. A small distance would be better then last time." Suna said this calmly as she stepped back, clearing an area for the Guardian.  
Maru swallowed then shut her eyes as she glowed brighter... //All right.. Here goes nothing.. Keep eyes closed, limbs close, focus only on the temple, and don't shout or anything... // "........." Then with a small flash and tons of golden colored sparks she vanished..  
Maru instantly became aware of an intense burning, then several changes in the temperature as she 'shot through' no less then 6 completely different dimensions.. Then landed flat on her back on stone steps... But what followed was worse, far worse. It suddenly felt like every inch of her was burning and freezing all at once.. Her joints became taunt and wouldn't move.. Then she blacked out... `````````````````````End of Flashback````````````````````````````````````````````````````  
Maru knew she must have teleported. Normally she only passed into one dimension; too many resulted in your body not being able to cope with the different airs, temperatures, and climates... Like the computers a ningen used when they 'over loaded'. The body gets confused and finally sets itself to one dimension 'stats' and stays like that.. Often one so different then the one you're teleporting to that you died... That first real time she'd nearly done that.. And this time it explained the weakness, stiffness, and the overall sick feeling. //But what happened? // "Ah, well I didn't expect you to wake up yet, Maruka." Maru narrowed her eyes as torches flared into life. But her dark orbs focused on thing. A dark figure, armored and standing before a waterfall. A person, she had become to know all too well. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````  
Sorry, but I must announce that, due to ending drawing near, I'm going to have no choice but to raise the rating and make it R. I know it may seem harsh, but I don't want this deleted, I don't want someone busting me, and I want this be good and 'clean'. Unfortunately I will raise it to R as soon as I update next time, so.. Sorry but trust me, it'll be one heck of an end. 


End file.
